Definition of expend
expender
nounIndulge Your Inner Word Nerd
Examples of expend in a Sentence
Are we willing to expend the time and resources required to solve the problem?
redecoration will have to wait, since we've just expended our last dollar in buying the house
Recent Examples of expend from the Web
-
Oregon had to expend pitching while Oklahoma took advantage of being in the winners’ bracket and rested ace Paige Parker.
-
Less energy is expended on developing an engaging narrative trajectory.
-
While still pushing for further gains, activists have expended much energy playing defense as state legislators, mostly Republicans, introduced scores of bills this year viewed at hostile to LGBTQ rights.
-
While still pushing for further gains, activists have expended much energy playing defense as state legislators, mostly Republicans, introduced scores of bills this year viewed at hostile to LGBT rights.
-
This movie focuses on her time in the Middle East during the early 20th century and her role in drawing the modern borders of Iraq, which the United States and other countries have expended a good deal of blood and treasure to maintain and defend.
-
Which helps explains why the Graf heirs have expended so many decades and so much emotion trying to reclaim them.
-
Tampa Police put in their own game plan and expended their operations as well as Tampa Fire.
-
If its ancestors were increasingly going into the water for food, like plants or shellfish on the bottom, then heavier bones might be selected for as the individuals would expend less effort to reach a potentially rich food source.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'expend'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of expend
Middle English, from Latin expendere to weigh out, expend, from ex- + pendere to weigh — more at spin
First Known Use: 15th century
EXPEND Defined for English Language Learners
expend
playDefinition of expend for English Language Learners
-
: to use or spend (something)
-
: to use (time, energy, effort, etc.) for a particular purpose
EXPEND Defined for Kids
Learn More about expend
-
See words that rhyme with expend Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for expend Spanish Central: Translation of expend Nglish: Translation of expend for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of expend for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up expend? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!