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)
-
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
-
the system of money, credit, etc, esp with respect to government revenues and expenditures
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funds or the provision of funds
-
(plural) funds; financial condition
verb
-
(tr) to provide or obtain funds, capital, or credit for
-
(intr) to manage or secure financial resources
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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superfinancenoun
-
prefinanceverb (used with object)
-
self-financeverb (used with object)
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underfinanceverb (used with object)
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financeableadjective
-
unfinancedadjective
-
well-financedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
financesimple
-
financessimple
-
have financedperfect
-
has financedperfect
-
am financingprogressive
-
are financingprogressive
-
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 yen strengthened against the dollar after Japan’s finance minister said President Trump expressed concern about the level of the Japanese currency.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
Andrea Traverso, Uefa's executive director of finance, said that this trend "raises concerns".
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
In parallel, investors, pension funds and insurers need to finance spending or meet contractual payouts.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
The bank’s dealmaking team would see weaker leveraged finance activity, the CFO says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
Creating a book would take years, and there was no certainty she would sell enough copies to finance the project.
From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman
Plus, the dangers of purging middle managers and the volatile finances of America’s millionaire pilots.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
His rule for navigating friendship and finances is to "keep your wallet close but your friends closer".
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
This question “often opens the door to broader discussions about finances, healthcare decisions, estate planning and family responsibilities,” Viktorin said.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
But by following year, the nonprofit’s finances had begun to falter.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
Washington’s finances were also in bad shape; the war had been tough on his businesses.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
Many of the apartments were financed with the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, a decades-old federal tax incentive.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
In the second quarter of 2026, a record 36.5% of all financed new-vehicle buyers signed a loan of 73 months — more than six years — or longer, according to Edmunds data.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026
He worked at a private equity fund financed by the U.S.
From Salon ● Sep. 16, 2026
The average monthly payment is now $770 for financed new cars and $531 for used cars.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 formally dismantled the Jim Crow system of discrimination in public accommodations, employment, voting, education, and federally financed activities.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
Joshua's agreement with the Saudi organisers financing the event stipulated the contest would take place in Britain and would have had to be renegotiated for a move to the United States.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
The financing will help the Boulder, Colo.-based company fund later-stage human trials.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
There’s also been borrowing in the loan- and asset-backed markets, as well as in construction financing.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
Healthcare investor Catalio Capital Management led the latest financing round alongside technology funds such as Iconiq, which includes backing from former Johnson & Johnson Chief Executive Alex Gorsky.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
I know from Janice that Sherrie’s husband is away most of the time, he’s in Tokyo right now working on bridge financing for an industrial complex in Bangladesh.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
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.
