spend

[ spend ]

/ spɛnd /

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See synonyms for: spend / spending / spent on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), spent, spend·ing.

to pay out, disburse, or expend; dispose of (money, wealth, resources, etc.): resisting the temptation to spend one's money.

to employ (labor, thought, words, time, etc.), as on some object or in some proceeding: Don't spend much time on it.

to pass (time) in a particular manner, place, etc.: We spent a few days in Baltimore.

to use up, consume, or exhaust: The storm had spent its fury.

to give (one's blood, life, etc.) for some cause.

verb (used without object), spent, spend·ing.

to spend money, energy, time, etc.

Obsolete. to be consumed or exhausted.

OTHER WORDS FOR spend

2 use, apply, devote.

See synonyms for spend on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR spend

1 earn, keep.

See antonyms for spend on Thesaurus.com

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of spend

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English spenden, continuing Old English -spendan (in āspendan, forspendan “to spend entirely or utterly”), from West Germanic, from Latin expendere “to pay out, spend, expend” (see expend); compare German spenden

synonym study for spend

1. Spend, disburse, expend, squander refer to paying out money. Spend is the general word: We spend more for living expenses now. Disburse implies expending from a specific source or sum to meet specific obligations, or paying in definite allotments: The treasurer has authority to disburse funds. Expend is more formal, and implies spending for some definite and (usually) sensible or worthy object: to expend most of one's salary on necessities. Squander suggests lavish, wasteful, or foolish expenditure: to squander a legacy.

OTHER WORDS FROM spend

an·ti·spend·ing, adjectiveun·der·spend, verb, un·der·spent, un·der·spend·ing.un·spend·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use spend in a sentence

In North America, they’re generally available year-round, though they’re at their peak from early fall to early spring, and they’re sweeter after spending a frost on the stalk.
A guide to Brussels sprouts: How to choose, store, season and cook the versatile vegetable|Daniela Galarza|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
The Nationals spent just one season with Fresno because the coronavirus wiped out minor league baseball in 2020.
Nationals have a new Class AAA affiliate in Rochester Red Wings|Jesse Dougherty|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
Walke said he will spend the holiday at home, even though he has not seen his parents in months.
CDC recommends against Thanksgiving travel amid surge of coronavirus cases|Brittany Shammas|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
“Whatever resources I have, I just kind of spent it to try it out,” he said.
A restaurant that fed the homeless said it might have to close. Donations poured in.|Paulina Firozi|November 19, 2020|Washington Post

These days she estimates she spends up to two hours a day on Facebook, even while checking Twitter more.
Why it’s easy to hate Facebook but hard to leave|Heather Kelly|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
At the same time, campaigns are spending less while the special-interest groups are spending more.
The 100 Rich People Who Run America|Mark McKinnon|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I was thinking about retiring from modeling, but spending that time with them rekindled that bug.
Porn Stars on the Year in Porn: Drone Erotica, Belle Knox, and Wild Sex|Aurora Snow|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
AFP admitted spending more than $10 million to back him in 2011 and 2012.
The Next Phase of the Koch Brothers’ War on Unions|Carl Deal and Tia Lessin|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In other words, runaway defense spending is a bipartisan problem.
Merry Christmas, Defense Contractors!|Veronique de Rugy|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His claim that taxpayers are spending millions of dollars for each detainee rates True.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: Dec 21|PunditFact.com|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It ended on a complaint that she was 'tired rather and spending my time at full length on a deck-chair in the garden.'
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood
The doctor had been spending Easter at Cannes, and the dowager had devoutly prayed that he might not yet return.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood
She is spending the summer near Deppe, and he hears her play the programme she is going to give in Berlin next winter, every day.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
His most specific charge was that in Mesopotamia they were "spending money like water in looking for oil."
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 158, April 28, 1920|Various
The people at the Towers seem to think as lightly about spending money as we would about using the water from our well.
Dorothy at Skyrie|Evelyn Raymond

British Dictionary definitions for spend

spend

/ (spɛnd) /

verb spends, spending or spent

to pay out (money, wealth, etc)

(tr) to concentrate (time, effort, thought, etc) upon an object, activity, etc

(tr) to pass (time) in a specific way, activity, place, etc

(tr) to use up completelythe hurricane spent its force

(tr) to give up (one's blood, life, etc) in a cause

(intr) obsolete to be used up or exhausted

spend a penny British informal to urinate

noun

an amount of money spent, esp regularly, or allocated to be spent

Derived forms of spend

spendable, adjective

Word Origin for spend

Old English spendan, from Latin expendere; influenced also by Old French despendre to spend, from Latin dispendere; see expend, dispense

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with spend

spend

see pocket (spending) money.

spend

OTHER WORDS FOR spend

OPPOSITES FOR spend

Origin of spend

synonym study for spend

OTHER WORDS FROM spend

Words related to spend

How to use spend in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for spend

Derived forms of spend

Word Origin for spend

Other Idioms and Phrases with spend