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

The Games organizing group has agreed to pay any costs that exceed the city’s typical expenditures. —James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026

The investment firm said Texas Instruments is benefiting from several tailwinds, like an end to its recent capital expenditures cycle and its data center business growth, that support Texas Instruments' outlook. —Michelle Fox, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026

On Thursday, investors will parse through the personal consumption expenditure figures for February - the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge. —Reuters, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026

And the Facebook parent company spent more than $72 billion on capital expenditures, or costs related to AI infrastructure, in 2025. —Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 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