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public spending

British

noun

expenditure by central government, local authorities, and public enterprises

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Despite some volatility, the indicator has generally been trending up since mid-2025 as the government increases public spending in a bid to revive Europe's struggling biggest economy.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

"That has real consequences for India's vast welfare and public spending system," says Deshpande.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Her nephew Malpica was elevated to the roles of national treasurer and finance director of the state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, or PdVSA, giving him control of a vast portfolio of public spending.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

The NAO is the UK's independent public spending watchdog.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

For 1996, the country looks to its policies of maintaining moderate fiscal reforms, restraining public spending, and encouraging non-oil exports.

From The 1996 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023