1
chiefly dialectal
: a usually leather pouch, wallet, or pack
also
: its contents
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
Scientific American Reader
also
: an account of gains and losses of such a quantity
the global carbon budget
4
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
budgeted; budgeting; budgets
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.
: to put oneself on a budget
budgeting for a vacation
: suitable for someone whose is following a plan for coordinating resources and expenditures : suitable for one on a budget (see budget entry 1) : inexpensive
Synonyms
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 WebRory Linnane, Journal Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2024
Of course, Paramount didn’t reveal the budget either, although Chazelle presumably won’t get the same blank check to fund the upcoming movie.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 11 Apr. 2024
In 2009 city administrators suggested charging $20 a month for garbage collection as a way to help cover a deficit in the city budget.
—Sharon Coolidge, The Enquirer, 11 Apr. 2024
Hubble, likely because of its early problems, has its own line item in the federal budget, apart from NASA's and is apparently not targeted with budget cuts at this time.
—Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024
But beyond the budget or open positions, election officials told WIRED that election disinformation is their number one concern.
—David Gilbert, WIRED, 11 Apr. 2024
The Missouri Supreme Court ruled in February — for the second time in four years — that lawmakers cannot use the state budget to strip Medicaid funding from the organization.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2024
In a typical year, the state education department withholds 10% until the federal budget is finalized.
—Nick Sullivan, The Arizona Republic, 10 Apr. 2024
The team has not yet publicly released a budget or total dollar amount, and the lease deal did not put the team’s contribution in writing.
—The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2024
Jasmine Browley, Essence, 12 Apr. 2024
Staff salaries are budgeted, so the campus already bears the cost of backfilling positions when employees need to take time off, said Daniel Chanen, who leads human resources for the UW System.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2024
With all that to budget for, Hellerstein doesn’t have the cash flow to bankroll new additions to his collection, especially in an age where the price of classic ballpark artifacts is at an all-time high.
—Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 7 Apr. 2024
The pressures mean Henry can only budget from one week to the next.
—Anna Cooban, CNN, 6 Apr. 2024
Those with large signing bonuses often seek professional advice right away, while lower-round picks look for instruction immediately on how to budget in order to survive.
—Stephen Buxton, The Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2024
Creating a long-term lifestyle plan can help in setting goals and budgeting for non-financial aspects of retirement.
—Jia Rizvi, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie won big at the 14th annual Guild of Music Supervisors Awards on Sunday, with the film taking home the awards for best music supervision for a film budgeted over $25 million, and best song written and/or recorded for a film.
—Beatrice Verhoeven, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Mar. 2024
Originally budgeted at $34.9 million, that leg will jut off the starter line at Third Street and Grand Boulevard in the River Market, then head north over the Grand Boulevard viaduct and east to within a five-minute walk of the stadium, stopping at the midpoint of Berkley Riverfront Park.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2024
Jessica Poitevien, Travel + Leisure, 4 Nov. 2021
On Friday, Jean-Jacques Annaud’s disaster drama Notre-Dame on Fire opens opposite Japanese rock opera anime Inu-Oh, directed by Masaaki Yuasa, as well as several mid-budget Chinese releases.
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Apr. 2023
Of course, there's something else that will forever link these mid-budget American triumphs, and that's when and where they were made: Portions of No Country for Old Men and There Will Blood were shot concurrently in the same place, the tiny desert town of Marfa, Texas, on the same dates in 2006.
—A.a. Dowd, Chron, 10 Mar. 2023
Although his turn into action is often the butt of jokes, the vast majority of these projects are quality, mid-budget adult thrillers that are sorely lacking in the multiplex nowadays.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 17 Feb. 2023
Last month it was revealed that the mid-budget Western movie would continue with its production.
—Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 9 Feb. 2023
As the rom com got further and further buried under capes and spandex and piles of money, so did the mid-budget Austen adaptations, with a few exceptions.
—Carrie Wittmer, Vulture, 18 July 2022
But Nelson has more on his mind as his characters navigate the rapidly shifting entertainment landscape, amid the rise of streaming and the fall of the mid-budget drama.
—Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2023
Turns out everyone thought the perfect thing to pair with Thanksgiving turkey was a mid-budget mystery with a superstar cast and a potentially gay detective.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 29 Nov. 2022
Noun
More:Even with increase in state budget, school districts still foot millions in special education expenses
New programs are working to fill the gaps.
—Rory Linnane, Journal Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2024
Of course, Paramount didn’t reveal the budget either, although Chazelle presumably won’t get the same blank check to fund the upcoming movie.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 11 Apr. 2024
In 2009 city administrators suggested charging $20 a month for garbage collection as a way to help cover a deficit in the city budget.
—Sharon Coolidge, The Enquirer, 11 Apr. 2024
Hubble, likely because of its early problems, has its own line item in the federal budget, apart from NASA's and is apparently not targeted with budget cuts at this time.
—Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024
But beyond the budget or open positions, election officials told WIRED that election disinformation is their number one concern.
—David Gilbert, WIRED, 11 Apr. 2024
The Missouri Supreme Court ruled in February — for the second time in four years — that lawmakers cannot use the state budget to strip Medicaid funding from the organization.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2024
In a typical year, the state education department withholds 10% until the federal budget is finalized.
—Nick Sullivan, The Arizona Republic, 10 Apr. 2024
The team has not yet publicly released a budget or total dollar amount, and the lease deal did not put the team’s contribution in writing.
—The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2024
Verb
Fortunately there is a way to budget your way into financial freedom.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 12 Apr. 2024
Staff salaries are budgeted, so the campus already bears the cost of backfilling positions when employees need to take time off, said Daniel Chanen, who leads human resources for the UW System.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2024
With all that to budget for, Hellerstein doesn’t have the cash flow to bankroll new additions to his collection, especially in an age where the price of classic ballpark artifacts is at an all-time high.
—Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 7 Apr. 2024
The pressures mean Henry can only budget from one week to the next.
—Anna Cooban, CNN, 6 Apr. 2024
Those with large signing bonuses often seek professional advice right away, while lower-round picks look for instruction immediately on how to budget in order to survive.
—Stephen Buxton, The Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2024
Creating a long-term lifestyle plan can help in setting goals and budgeting for non-financial aspects of retirement.
—Jia Rizvi, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie won big at the 14th annual Guild of Music Supervisors Awards on Sunday, with the film taking home the awards for best music supervision for a film budgeted over $25 million, and best song written and/or recorded for a film.
—Beatrice Verhoeven, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Mar. 2024
Originally budgeted at $34.9 million, that leg will jut off the starter line at Third Street and Grand Boulevard in the River Market, then head north over the Grand Boulevard viaduct and east to within a five-minute walk of the stadium, stopping at the midpoint of Berkley Riverfront Park.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2024
Adjective
In terms of airlines, the top five carriers with the most delays were a mix of budget and non-budget airlines.
—Jessica Poitevien, Travel + Leisure, 4 Nov. 2021
On Friday, Jean-Jacques Annaud’s disaster drama Notre-Dame on Fire opens opposite Japanese rock opera anime Inu-Oh, directed by Masaaki Yuasa, as well as several mid-budget Chinese releases.
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Apr. 2023
Of course, there's something else that will forever link these mid-budget American triumphs, and that's when and where they were made: Portions of No Country for Old Men and There Will Blood were shot concurrently in the same place, the tiny desert town of Marfa, Texas, on the same dates in 2006.
—A.a. Dowd, Chron, 10 Mar. 2023
Although his turn into action is often the butt of jokes, the vast majority of these projects are quality, mid-budget adult thrillers that are sorely lacking in the multiplex nowadays.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 17 Feb. 2023
Last month it was revealed that the mid-budget Western movie would continue with its production.
—Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 9 Feb. 2023
As the rom com got further and further buried under capes and spandex and piles of money, so did the mid-budget Austen adaptations, with a few exceptions.
—Carrie Wittmer, Vulture, 18 July 2022
But Nelson has more on his mind as his characters navigate the rapidly shifting entertainment landscape, amid the rise of streaming and the fall of the mid-budget drama.
—Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2023
Turns out everyone thought the perfect thing to pair with Thanksgiving turkey was a mid-budget mystery with a superstar cast and a potentially gay detective.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 29 Nov. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'budget.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near budget
Cite this Entry
“Budget.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/budget. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
budget
1 of 2 noun
bud·get
ˈbəj-ət 
2
a
: a statement of estimated income and expenses
b
: a plan for using money
c
: the amount of money available for some purpose
budget
2 of 2 verb1
: 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
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