outlay

American  

[out-ley, out-ley] / ˈaʊtˌleɪ, ˌaʊtˈleɪ /

noun

1. an expending or spending, as of money.

2. an amount expended; expenditure.

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verb (used with object)

outlaid, outlaying

1. to expend, as money.

outlay British  

noun

1. an expenditure of money, effort, etc

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verb

1. (tr) to spend (money)

Etymology

Origin of outlay

First recorded in 1545–55; out- + lay ¹

Example Sentences

Will Denyer, the lead U.S. economist at Hong-Kong based Gavekal Research, emphasizes in a note published Thursday, the conditions necessary for the huge capex outlay planned by American corporates are still very much in place.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

Still, Chelsea spent the most on agents' fees and the third most on both transfers and wages last season, despite a reduction in overall spending following the unprecedented outlay in the early BlueCo years.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

The outlay can be even more substantial when a multistory home is involved.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

It added more expenses to an already-astronomical outlay for artificial intelligence.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

The amount spent for research was therefore a small fraction of 1 per cent of the outlay for the chemical program.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Related Words

• disbursement
• expenditure
• expense
• investment
• price tag
• spending