expense

[ik-spens]

noun

1. cost or charge.

   the expense of a good meal.

   Synonyms: expenditure, outlay

2. a cause or occasion of spending.

   A car can be a great expense.

3. the act of expending; expenditure.

4. expenses,

   1. charges incurred during a business assignment or trip.

   2. money paid as reimbursement for such charges.

      to receive a salary and expenses.

verb (used with object)

expensed, expensing 

1. to charge or write off as an expense.

verb (used without object)

expensed, expensing 

1. to be expensed.

expense

/ ɪkˈspɛns /

noun

1. a particular payment of money; expenditure

2. money needed for individual purchases; cost; charge

3. (plural) incidental money spent in the performance of a job, commission, etc, usually reimbursed by an employer or allowable against tax

4. something requiring money for its purchase or upkeep

   the car was more of an expense than he had expected

5. to the detriment of

   he succeeded at the expense of his health

verb

1. (tr) to treat as an expense for book-keeping or tax purposes

Other Word Forms

• expenseless adjective
• preexpense noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of expense¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Late Latin expēnsa, noun use of feminine of expēnsus, past participle of expendere “to weigh out, pay”; expend

Word History and Origins

Origin of expense¹

C14: from Late Latin expēnsa, from Latin expēnsus weighed out; see _expend

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at the expense of, at the sacrifice of; to the detriment of.

   quantity at the expense of quality.

see at the expense of; go to the trouble (expense); money (expense) is no object.

Synonym Study

See price.

Example Sentences

These are families who work full-time but still can’t afford basic expenses like food and housing.

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Another advantage with an index fund is low expenses.

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A bill passed by the House and pending in the Senate would authorize portfolios often used in retirement accounts to skip reporting the expenses of certain funds they may invest in.

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For many Americans without emergency funds, that is essential: Just under two-thirds of U.S. adults have enough cash on hand to cover a $400 surprise expense, according to a 2024 Federal Reserve survey.

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Some analysts questioned the timing of the proposal, since Hang Seng’s stock has also rallied this year, adding to the expense.

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Related Words

• amount 
• budget 
• charge 
• consumption 
• debt 
• expenditure 
• insurance 
• investment 
• liability 
• loan 
• loss 
• mortgage 
• obligation 
• outlay 
• payroll 
• price 
• price tag 
• rate 
• risk 
• spending www.thesaurus.com