at the expense of

phrase

: 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

Softer rubber can produce stronger traction but may abrade more quickly, while harder compounds tend to last longer at the expense of grip. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026

Hard hits are welcome, but not at the expense of leaving the team vulnerable to odd-man rushes. — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026

That work was motivated by the errors that led to burn out in my twenties, specifically chasing impact at the expense of everything else. — Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

The documentary argues that Nadal was addicted to competition, often at the expense of his own health. — Max Gao, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for at the expense of

• above
• foxglove
• hereof
• thereof
• whereof
• dove
• glove
• love
• shove
• hereinabove