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
Los Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves cobbled together another magical moment to begin the 2025-26 season on Wednesday night, this time at the expense of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
—
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Google has faced a string of antitrust lawsuits, including from publishers who have accused the company of monopolizing the digital ad market at the expense of local news operations.
—USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2025
Reparations would primarily benefit individuals who did not suffer the crimes committed several generations ago at the expense of those who did not commit them.
—Andrew Quinio, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
The announcement could help OpenAI placate some critics who have accused the startup of commercializing and scaling too quickly at the expense of AI ethics and safety.
—Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at the expense of
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Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Google has faced a string of antitrust lawsuits, including from publishers who have accused the company of monopolizing the digital ad market at the expense of local news operations.
—USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2025
Reparations would primarily benefit individuals who did not suffer the crimes committed several generations ago at the expense of those who did not commit them.
—Andrew Quinio, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
The announcement could help OpenAI placate some critics who have accused the startup of commercializing and scaling too quickly at the expense of AI ethics and safety.
—Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 29 Oct. 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 7 Nov. 2025.
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