expend

1 of 2

verb

ex·​pend ik-ˈspend 

expended; expending; expends

transitive verb

1

: to pay out : spend

… the social services upon which public revenue is expended.

—J. A. Hobson

2

: to make use of for a specific purpose : utilize

projects on which they expended great energy

also : use up

expender noun

expender

2 of 2

noun

ex·​pend·​er

plural -s

: one that expends

Synonyms of expend

Verb

• spend
• pay

Examples of expend in a Sentence

Verb

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 on the Web

Verb

The first-stage booster made its 32nd and final flight as it was expended getting the payload to geosynchronous transfer orbit. — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026

Houston was content to slow the tempo, string together passes and force Sporting to expend energy trying to win the ball back. — Latif Love august 2, Kansas City Star, 2 Aug. 2026

The agreements are the latest in a slew of Pentagon deals to increase production of air defense systems, which the United States has quickly expended in its war on Iran. — Julia Gledhill, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Antiquing is usually a more expensive hobby, in part because of the time and effort that dealers have expended curating their items for sale. — Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 25 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English expenden, exspenden, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French espendre, expendre, borrowed from Latin expendere "to weigh, pay out, disburse," from ex- ex- entry 1 + pendere "to weigh, have a weight of, pay (out), estimate, consider" — more at pendent

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for expend

• amend
• append
• ascend
• attend
• backend
• befriend
• boyfriend
• commend
• compend
• contend
• defend
• depend

Kids Definition

expend

verb

ex·​pend ik-ˈspend 

1

: to pay out : spend

expend state funds

2

: use up

expend energy