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
His detractors, however, criticize the mayor for focusing on short-term housing for the homeless at the expense of long-term solutions, threatening to arrest homeless people, and supporting Proposition 36, which Newsom opposed, that toughened penalties against repeat drug and theft offenses.
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Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 1 Feb. 2026
This ban protects corporate dispensaries at the expense of everyday consumers.
—Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
These extraordinary individuals have committed their lives to their sport, often at the expense of traditional career paths and financial savings.
—Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
Energy security achieved at the expense of legal order ultimately undermines itself.
—Maria Mendiluce, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for at the expense of
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Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 1 Feb. 2026
This ban protects corporate dispensaries at the expense of everyday consumers.
—Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
These extraordinary individuals have committed their lives to their sport, often at the expense of traditional career paths and financial savings.
—Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
Energy security achieved at the expense of legal order ultimately undermines itself.
—Maria Mendiluce, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
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 9 Feb. 2026.
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