at the expense of
idiom
: in a way that harms (something or someone)
Malls flourished at the expense of small stores downtown.
He argues that the tax cut will benefit the rich at the expense of the poor.
Examples of at the expense of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
It’s been used to import cheap foreign labor at the expense of Americans.
—
Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
That’s especially true for Portugal, where one of Europe’s most popular programs led to foreigners bidding up homes at the expense of locals.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025
The period between sequels left plenty of room for satire at the expense of the horror genre, which expanded rapidly in the wake of the original film.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Sep. 2025
Protecting yourself from risk at the expense of blocking real connection?
—Usa Today, USA Today, 20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at the expense of
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Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
That’s especially true for Portugal, where one of Europe’s most popular programs led to foreigners bidding up homes at the expense of locals.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025
The period between sequels left plenty of room for satire at the expense of the horror genre, which expanded rapidly in the wake of the original film.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Sep. 2025
Protecting yourself from risk at the expense of blocking real connection?
—Usa Today, USA Today, 20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at the expense of
Cite this Entry
“At the expense of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20the%20expense%20of. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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