indirect cost

noun

: a cost that is not identifiable with a specific product, function, or activity

Examples of indirect cost in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The transportation disaster likely also had other indirect costs, including paying staff extra to stay at schools while students were routinely picked up late due to bus delays through the 2023-2024 school year. Krista Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 23 Sep. 2025 Yet the direct and indirect costs of fibroids reach up to $34 billion annually, when factoring in the costs of treatment and work lost. Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025 This analysis should include both direct and indirect costs. Julian Durand, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 If states remove vaccine mandates, this could raise direct or indirect costs, the experts said. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for indirect cost

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1909, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of indirect cost was circa 1909

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Cite this Entry

“Indirect cost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indirect%20cost. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

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