finance
Americannoun
-
the management of revenues; the conduct or transaction of money matters generally, especially those affecting the public, as in the fields of banking and investment.
-
finances, the monetary resources, as of a government, company, organization, or individual; revenue.
verb (used with object)
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finances,
present (3rd person singular)
-
financed,
past participle, past
-
financing
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
finances,
present (3rd person singular)
-
financed,
past participle, past
-
financing
present participle
noun
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the system of money, credit, etc, esp with respect to government revenues and expenditures
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funds or the provision of funds
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(plural) funds; financial condition
verb
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(tr) to provide or obtain funds, capital, or credit for
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(intr) to manage or secure financial resources
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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superfinancenoun
-
prefinanceverb (used with object)
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self-financeverb (used with object)
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underfinanceverb (used with object)
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financeableadjective
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unfinancedadjective
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well-financedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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financesimple
-
financessimple
-
have financedperfect
-
has financedperfect
-
am financingprogressive
-
are financingprogressive
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is financingprogressive
-
have been financingperfect progressive
-
has been financingperfect progressive
Past
-
financedsimple
-
had financedperfect
-
was financingprogressive
-
were financingprogressive
-
had been financingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of finance
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English finaunce, from Anglo-French, Middle French finance, from fin(er) “to end, settle, pay” ( see fine 2) + -ance -ance
Explanation
To finance something is to pay for it, like using the money you earn at your part-time job to finance your cell phone bill. As a verb, it carries two very different meanings: "to pay for" or "obtain on credit." So, if you can finance your trip, it means you have the money to pay for it. Anyone who works in finance, meaning the banking and investment industry, will tell you plenty of people get in trouble by letting credit cards finance things like vacations.
Vocabulary lists containing finance
"Women in Aviation," Vocabulary from the informational text
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Richard Nixon's "Checkers" Speech (1952)
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Economics
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The couple were already looking to move from their current Texan home after Jeff retired from working in finance, and thought "what about Wrexham?"
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Figures recorded at the observatory's headquarters serve as one of the key references for Hong Kong, according to the weather service, although temperatures can vary significantly in the densely built Chinese finance hub.
From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026
Hasna is charged with conspiring to provide material support to Hamas, conspiring to finance terrorism and financing terrorism.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Alongside a history of campaign finance investigations, Ogles can be a jerk.
From Slate ● Aug. 8, 2026
Although news of Kepler’s discoveries spread, the full discussion of his ideas didn’t appear in print until his book Astronomia Nova was published in 1609—publication was delayed by printing problems and lack of finance.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
The government, already in the red before the pandemic, secured a landmark debt restructuring with official and private creditors, unlocking an IMF bailout and easing pressure on public finances.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
He said the judge had reviewed her finances and wouldn’t approve the lower bail.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
The forthcoming by-election was triggered by Farage's resignation from Parliament following questions and an investigation into his finances.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Congress still should act as soon as possible, of course, since solving Social Security’s finances becomes more expensive the longer it’s put off.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
My stint at the university had left me feeling worn out, putting me in a far-from-perfect juggle while also straining our finances with the expense of child care.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
If just half that is financed by bonds, that’s 15% of the historical annual gross issuance of non-financial companies worldwide.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026
A sustained defense financed the conventional way would mean Tokyo unloading them at a moment when the yield on the 30-year U.S. bond has risen to its highest level since 2007.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
The proposed structure reflects a shift under way in how the largest AI build-outs are being financed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
Sizable deals, as well as deals financed in large part by debt, have higher failure rates — and both are true about the Paramount-Warner deal.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
“They were financed by a multimillionaire and backed by many influential politicians. It was a compelling idea, to return to the past. It also appealed to a desire to preserve the spirit of Africa.”
From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer
Hasna is charged with conspiring to provide material support to Hamas, conspiring to finance terrorism and financing terrorism.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Founders Fund, Thrive Capital, Kleiner Perkins, Accel and Iconiq also participated in the financing, which totaled about $1 billion, one of the people said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Trade-in and financing programs partially fueled this growth as the premium segment hit a record 29% market share of the smartphone market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
The prime brokerages that provide the financing to hedge funds may not allow them to invest as much in tech, the Panigirtzoglou team said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
But though financing is the key, other elements are no less important.
From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
