budget

1 of 3

noun

bud·​get ˈbə-jət 

1

finance

a

: a statement of the financial position of an administration (as of a nation) for a definite period of time based on estimates of expenditures during the period and proposals for financing them

b

: a plan for the coordination of resources and expenditures

develop a budget for her company

c

: the amount of money that is available for, required for, or assigned to a particular purpose

a weekly budget for a family of five

a budget of less than $3000

2

: stock, supply

3

: a quantity (as of energy or water) involved in, available for, or assignable to a particular situation

The A-bomb … yields its budget of energy … in a fraction of a second.

—Scientific American Reader

also : an account of gains and losses of such a quantity

the global carbon budget

4

chiefly dialectal : a usually leather pouch, wallet, or pack

also : its contents

budgetary

ˈbə-jə-ˌter-ē 

-ˌte-rē

adjective

budget

2 of 3

verb

budgeted; budgeting; budgets

transitive verb

1

a

: to put or allow for in a statement or plan coordinating resources and expenditures : to put or allow for in a budget

budgeted $200 a month to pay back student loans

funds budgeted by the administration for the project

b

: to require to adhere to a budget

Budget yourself wisely.

2

a

: to allocate funds for in a budget

budget a new hospital

b

: to plan or provide for the use of in detail

budgeting manpower

Budget your time wisely.

intransitive verb

: to put oneself on a budget

budgeting for a vacation

budget

3 of 3

adjective

: suitable for someone who is following a plan for coordinating resources and expenditures : suitable for one on a budget (see budget entry 1) : inexpensive

Synonyms of budget

Noun

• fund
• deposit
• savings

Verb

• plan
• design
• prepare

Adjective

• reasonable
• cheap
• affordable
• inexpensive
• low

Examples of budget in a Sentence

Noun

What's the average weekly budget for a family of five?

The film has a million-dollar budget.

He's been trying to live on a budget of less than $1,500 a month.

We'll have to work out a budget so we can buy a new car.

Verb

They budgeted millions of dollars to make the film.

The project is budgeted at more than $100,000.

He budgets $50 for entertainment each month.

If we budget carefully, we will be able to go on the trip.

I need to learn how to budget my time more wisely.

Adjective

a budget phone plan for people on fixed incomes

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Support for the measure was offered by some, including union leaders, who warned residents, particularly seniors, are likely to struggle if a local solution to federal budget cuts isn’t adopted. —Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2026

Essential goods strain meager household budgets, with consumers paying around 363 Pakistani rupees for a dozen eggs or 2,186 Pakistan rupees for a kilogram of wheat flour, according to economic data firm CEIC Data, citing 2025 figures from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. —Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026

Verb

The Cut Buddy's tariff bills stacked to roughly $800,000 last year — more than five times what Esnard would normally budget. —Scott Horsley, NPR, 9 Feb. 2026

Days before the opening ceremony, work was still ongoing at the Santagiulia arena, a new $292 million ice hockey venue in Milan; it was originally budgeted at $210 million. —The Week Us, TheWeek, 9 Feb. 2026

Adjective

There is a lack of theatrical content, particularly films that are in the mid-budget range — $15 million to $90 million. —Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026

Following the speech, House Speaker Todd Huston told reporters that this could be accomplished without opening the budget this year, as lawmakers are wont not to do in a non-budget year. —Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 16 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bowgette, from Middle French bougette, diminutive of bouge leather bag, from Latin bulga, of Celtic origin; akin to Middle Irish bolg bag; akin to Old English belg bag — more at belly

Verb

derivative of budget entry 1

Adjective

from attributive use of budget entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Verb

1618, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Adjective

1941, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing budget

• balance a/the budget
• big-budget
• budget surplus
• low-budget
• on a small/tight/shoestring budget
• over budget
• under budget
• within budget

Kids Definition

budget

1 of 2 noun

bud·​get ˈbəj-ət 

1

: supply entry 2 sense 1a, quantity

2

a

: a statement of estimated income and expenses

b

: a plan for using money

c

: the amount of money available for some purpose

budgetary

ˈbəj-ə-ˌter-ē 

adjective

budget

2 of 2 verb

1

: to put on or in a budget

budget $50 for entertainment

2

: to provide funds for in a budget

budget a new car

3

: to plan the use of

budget one's time

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bowgette "small leather pouch," derived from early French bouge "leather bag," from Latin bulga "leather bag" — related to bulge