cost

1 of 2

noun

ˈkȯst 

1

a

: 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

costless

ˈkȯst-ləs 

adjective

costlessly adverb

see also:

at all costs at cost

cost

2 of 2

verb

cost; costing

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 ˈkȯ-stəd  : to estimate or set the cost of

—often used with out

The project has yet to be costed out.

Synonyms of cost

Noun

• expense
• expenditure

Verb

• fetch
• bring

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

Data centers, oil refineries, and shipping lanes are the targets now, and low-cost drones have made striking them cheaper than ever. —Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 9 June 2026

Bass has called for hiring more officers and defending her Inside Safe homelessness program, while Raman has criticized the cost of police raises, called for broader public-safety responses and argued that the city needs a more accountable and cost-effective homelessness system. —Teresa Liu, Daily News, 9 June 2026

Verb

Johnson said the land could be sold to a private developer for something new and relocating to another downtown building would cost much less. —S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 9 June 2026

Rent for the property, as defined by the county’s senior housing program, will cost $820 per month for a single bedroom unit and $1,004 per month for a two-bedroom unit. —Mars King, Twin Cities, 9 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French custer, couster, from Latin constare to stand firm, cost — more at constant

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing cost

• at a cost
• at cost
• at cost price
• at no cost
• at the cost of
• cost accountant
• cost accounting
• cost an arm and a leg
• cost-benefit
• cost cutting
• cost-effective
• cost-efficient
• cost money
• cost of living
• cost-of-living index
• cost-plus
• cost-push
• cost (someone) dearly/dear
• count the cost
• dollar cost averaging
• indirect cost
• it'll cost (someone)
• not cost a dime/nickel
• not cost a penny
• opportunity cost
• prime cost
• to one's cost

Rhymes for cost

• bossed
• crossed
• dost
• glossed
• lost
• prost
• rost
• tossed
• accost
• crisscrossed
• defrost
• embossed

Kids Definition

cost

1 of 2 noun

ˈkȯst 

1

: the amount paid or charged for something : price

2

: the loss or penalty involved in achieving a goal

won the battle at the cost of many lives

3

plural : legal expenses given to the winning side against the losing side

fined $50 and costs

cost

2 of 2 verb

cost; costing

1

: to have a price of : require payment of

each ticket costs one dollar

2

: to cause one to pay, spend, or lose

mistakes cost him his job

Legal Definition

cost

noun

1

: the amount or equivalent paid or charged for something

2

plural : expenses incurred in litigation

especially : those given by the law or the court to the prevailing party against the losing party