cost

noun

\ ˈkȯst

Definition of cost

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : the amount or equivalent paid or charged for something : price The average cost of a college education has gone up dramatically.

b : the outlay or expenditure (as of effort or sacrifice) made to achieve an object He achieved fame, but at the cost of losing several friends.

2 : loss or penalty incurred especially in gaining something the cost of lives during war

3 costs plural : expenses incurred in a judicial process especially : those given by the law or the court to the prevailing party against the losing party

at all costs

: regardless of the cost or consequences was determined to win at all costs

at cost

: for the price of production buys clothes at cost directly from the manufacturer

cost

verb

cost; costing

Definition of cost (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to require expenditure or payment The best goods cost more.

2 : to require effort, suffering, or loss

transitive verb

1 : to have a price of Each ticket costs 25 dollars.

2 : to cause to pay, suffer, or lose something Frequent absences cost him his job.

3 past costed\ ˈkä-stəd

\ : to estimate or set the cost of —often used with out The project has yet to be costed out.

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Examples of cost in a Sentence

Noun

She attends college at a cost of $15,000 a year. The average cost of raising a family has increased dramatically. We offer services at a fraction of the cost of other companies. What's the difference in cost? They believe that everyone should have access to adequate medical care, regardless of cost. The cost of doing business in this area is high. We need better cost control. Winning the war, he believes, was worth the cost in lives. What are the costs and benefits of the new law?

Verb

The trip will cost you about $100 each way. The project will end up costing the government an estimated 3.5 billion dollars. It will cost you a lot of money, but it'll be worth it. His frequent absences ended up costing him his job. The error cost me a reprimand, but nothing more serious than that. a blunder that has cost her considerable embarrassment

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Depending on the ring's specific characteristics, the overall cost could range between $40,000 and $80,000, Money (who did not create this ring) estimates. — Maggie Maloney, Town & Country, "Everything You Need to Know About Hilary Duff's Engagement Ring," 9 May 2019 The actual cost depends on your insurance and the compounding pharmacies in your area, so be sure to ask your dermatologist for more information. — A.a. Newton, SELF, "Here’s What Niacinamide Can—and Can’t—Do for Your Skin," 8 May 2019 And college costs have grown so exponentially that between just 2004 and 2017 the average student debt rose from $18,650 to $38,000. — Nina Turner, Vogue, "Why Universal Health Care, Higher Wages, and Free Public Education Are Crucial Issues for Black Women," 3 May 2019 The costs of interning in DC for a summer can total up to $10,000, including an apartment, travel, professional clothing, metro cards, food, and course, credit. — Audrey Henson, Vox, "Diversity on Capitol Hill starts with paying interns," 26 Dec. 2018 In terms of cost, this palette won't be breaking the bank. — Kaleigh Fasanella, Allure, "This Strawberry Milkshake Eye Shadow Palette Smells Exactly Like the Real Thing," 12 Apr. 2019 And, in fact, Hoffman himself and other ascendant Silicon Valley donors like Chris Sacca have tried to help the Democratic establishment be more tech-friendly and cost-effective. — Theodore Schleifer, Recode, "Reid Hoffman is learning an early rule of being a megadonor: It’s hard to keep track of your money," 26 Dec. 2018 Generally, emergency contraception costs anywhere from $25 and $80 (the price includes examination, pregnancy test, and pills). — Seventeen Editors, Seventeen, "How to Deal with a Pregnancy Scare," 28 Nov. 2018 Other countries currently provide good health care to residents at a fraction of the U.S. cost. — Robert Pollin, WSJ, "The Case for Medicare for All," 28 Mar. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The Kona Iron Man Edition costs a hefty $3050 more than the Kona Ultimate, an equivalent top-end model. — Drew Dorian, Car and Driver, "With the 2019 Hyundai Kona Iron Man Edition, MCU Means Marvel Car Universe," 10 May 2019 These billboards can cost $30,000 for just a 15-second per hour spot. — Jasmine Gomez, Seventeen, "Here's Why All The Members Of BTS Are Single," 9 May 2019 In addition to the financial damages, the alleged fraud also cost NASA years of scientific experiments with their weather satellites and led to the discontinuation of the Taurus XL rocket used for the launches. — Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "NASA Says Two of Its Rockets Failed Because of Metals Fraud," 1 May 2019 Dell’s 3000-series laptops cost $599 on up, and will begin shipping on May 1. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Dell Latitude refresh banks on connectivity, battery life," 1 May 2019 The in-clinic procedure, can cost up to $1,500 without any insurance coverage. — Jennifer Gerson Uffalussy, Glamour, "How Much Does an Abortion Cost?," 26 Apr. 2019 The Wagyu had cost $212 and was already thawing while taking up an entire shelf of the refrigerator. — Tamar Adler, Vogue, "Is Serving Raw Meat And Fish A Dinner Party Taboo?," 12 Apr. 2019 Some of the latest cancer treatments can cost as much as half a million dollars in the US, and even if your insurance covers them, living outside of certain US cities could make getting the treatments almost impossible. — Julia Belluz, Vox, "We’re making real progress against cancer. But you may not know it if you’re poor.," 8 Jan. 2019 That wasn't the only affordable element about Hadid's Coachella outfit: Her seashell belt was from Mango, and will cost you less than $30. — Abby Gardner, Glamour, "Gigi Hadid Wore a $50 Summersalt Top and $350 Kim Shui Studio Pants to Coachella 2019," 15 Apr. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cost.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.