expenditure

noun

ex·​pen·​di·​ture ik-ˈspen-di-chər 

-də-ˌchu̇r, 

-də-ˌt(y)u̇r

1

: the act or process of expending

an expenditure of energy

2

: something expended : disbursement, expense

Your income should exceed your expenditures.

Synonyms of expenditure

• expense
• cost

Examples of expenditure in a Sentence

an increase in military expenditures

an increase in military expenditure

vast expenditures of time and effort

The energy expenditure was significant.

the expenditure of funds for the new school

The project will require an expenditure of effort on everyone's part.

Recent Examples on the Web

According to a report by the Rocky Mountain Institute, VPPs could reduce peak demand in the United States by 60 gigawatts by 2030 and help reduce annual power sector expenditures by $17 billion. —Brian Cheung, NBC news, 30 May 2026

The April personal consumption expenditures price index reported this week showed a drop in Americans' savings rate, which could mean less of a buffer to absorb future shocks. —Sarah Min, CNBC, 29 May 2026

Among other things, encourage the Audit Commission to focus on ensuring that all expenditure of pension fund dollars have exclusively been used for the benefit of the MERF. —Kaitlin McCallum, Hartford Courant, 29 May 2026

The company paid anti-union consulting firm The Rayla Group more than $5 million, according to its 2025 LM-10 union consultant expenditure report. —Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 28 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

probably from Medieval Latin expenditus, variant past participle of Latin expendere "to weigh, pay out, expend" + -ure

First Known Use

1769, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

expenditure

noun

ex·​pen·​di·​ture ik-ˈspen-di-chər 

-də-ˌchu̇(ə)r

1

: the act of spending (as money, time, or energy)

2

: something that is spent

Legal Definition

expenditure

noun

ex·​pen·​di·​ture ik-ˈspen-di-chər, -ˌchu̇r 

1

: the act or process of paying out

2

: something paid out see also capital expenditure