spending money
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of spending money
First recorded in 1590–1600
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.
Teens can then manage small amounts for specific spending categories, such as back-to-school clothes.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026
Because of their differing methodology, CPI and PCE weight spending categories differently.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026
The result, he argues, is a structural shift toward spending categories that cater to individuals rather than households.
From Barron's • Dec. 27, 2025
The app uses the “envelope system,” in which users portion out their monthly income into spending categories, also known as envelopes.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 4, 2023
The fastest-growing spending categories, so far this year, are the ones where the highest-income Americans typically dominate the market.
From Washington Post • Jun. 18, 2021
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.
