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
Trump's policies empower businesses to invest, hire, and compete, reminding the world that trade must be fair—not a one-way street benefiting Beijing at the expense of the Ohio River Valley.
—
Faisal Kutty, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
Beyond that, the central justification for Trump’s tariffs has been the populist argument that free trade only benefits wealthy Wall Streeters at the expense of lower-income Americans.
—The Editors, National Review, 6 May 2025
Will mainstream religions inevitably benefit at the expense of sects with fringier views?
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
Dolan’s discomfiture is understandable, as cord-cutting was already doing a number on the legacy RSN model well before the NBA began beefing up its national TV slate at the expense of the local sports channels.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 2 May 2025
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Faisal Kutty, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
Beyond that, the central justification for Trump’s tariffs has been the populist argument that free trade only benefits wealthy Wall Streeters at the expense of lower-income Americans.
—The Editors, National Review, 6 May 2025
Will mainstream religions inevitably benefit at the expense of sects with fringier views?
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
Dolan’s discomfiture is understandable, as cord-cutting was already doing a number on the legacy RSN model well before the NBA began beefing up its national TV slate at the expense of the local sports channels.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 2 May 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 23 May. 2025.
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