expense

noun ex·pense \ ik-ˈspen(t)s \

|Updated on: 21 Jun 2018

Examples: expense in a Sentence

Definition of expense

1 archaic : the act or an instance of expending : expenditure

2 a : something expended to secure a benefit or bring about a result

b : financial burden or outlay : cost

built the monument at their own expense

c : an item of business outlay chargeable against revenue for a specific period

3 : a cause or occasion of expenditure

an estate is a great expense

4 : a loss, detriment, or embarrassment that results from some action or gain : sacrifice

everyone had a good laugh at my expense

—usually used in the phrase at the expense of

develop a boy's physique at the expense of his intelligence
—Bertrand Russell

See expense defined for English-language learners

See expense defined for kids

Examples of expense in a Sentence

I don't think a first-class ticket is worth the added expense.
The annual fee is simply an expense of doing business.
A new car is a major expense.

Recent Examples of expense from the Web

The strategic manipulation employed to project and meet quarterly numbers is done at the expense of long-term growth.

— phillip molnar, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Should companies end quarterly earnings guidance?," 15 June 2018
Until quite recently there was enough coming in to pay expenses but now the chickens are coming home to roost.

— WSJ, "Not Much Has Changed With Social Security," 14 June 2018
But the fact that that fun is coming at the expense of a 14-year-old girl raises questions of whether this type of humor is also a form of bullying.

— alex abad-santos, Vox, "How the “homophobic Millie Bobby Brown” meme made the actress quit Twitter.," 14 June 2018
The state may start its own investigation into a Gary Fire Department fund, which has invited scrutiny due to funds being used to pay unrelated expenses.

— gregory tejeda, Post-Tribune, "Indiana may investigate Gary’s Fire Department fund transfers," 6 June 2018
The money raised will help the Park Road Business Association pay various expenses for the 20th annual Park Road Parade to be held on Saturday, Oct. 6.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The West Hartford Edition," 5 June 2018
The changes caused additional checks to be issued to pay her expenses as well, according to the federal document.

— joe marusak, charlotteobserver, "She stole from Harris Teeter charitable fund to pay her mortgage. Now prison is home.," 30 May 2018
Recently, it was revealed that Watt was willing to pay funeral expenses for the 10 people killed in the mass shooting at Santa Fe High School in Texas.

— jim reineking, USA TODAY, "J.J. Watt presented with honorary doctorate degree from Baylor College of Medicine," 30 May 2018
The Family of Cynthia Tisdale Cynthia Tisdale, an art room teacher's aide, worked two jobs to help pay for her husband’s medical expenses, according to CNN.

— linley sanders, Teen Vogue, "How to Donate to the GoFundMe Campaigns for Families Affected by the Texas School Shooting," 22 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'expense.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of expense

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Late Latin; Anglo-French, from Late Latin expensa, from Latin, feminine of expensus, past participle of expendere

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

expense Synonyms

Synonyms

charge, cost, disbursement, expenditure, outgo, outlay;

Related Words

overhead;

outflow;

pocket money, spending money;

price, rate, tab, tariff, toll;

Other Economics Terms

actuary, compound interest, globalization, indemnity, portfolio, rentier, stagflation, usurer

expense

verb

Definition of expense

expensed; expensing

transitive verb

1 : to charge with expenses

2 a : to charge to an expense account

b : to write off as an expense

Recent Examples of expense from the Web

Yet under accounting rules in place since the 1970s, intangibles are expensed rather than capitalized — unless they were acquired.

— bloomberg, latimes.com, "What's a stock worth? In the new economy, traditional accounting has its critics," 8 June 2018
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Expenditure Survey, expenses decline on average from $55,892 for those ages 55 to 64 to $46,757 for those ages 65 to 74 and to $34,382 for those age 75 and older.

— robert powell, USA TODAY, "Separating retirement myths from retirement realities comes down to what works for you," 30 May 2018
The company expenses also rose by nearly 20 percent to $2.9 billion from $ 2.4 billion due to costs.

— ryan maye handy, Houston Chronicle, "CenterPoint posts profit for first quarter," 4 May 2018
Tax returns can be significantly reduced due to 1099 quarterly taxes, but one way to offset self-employment taxes is to expense correctly.

— josh smith, USA TODAY, "Top 15 questions people are asking this tax season," 15 Mar. 2018
The new law also allows small businesses to immediately expense up to $500,000 in property placed into service each year.

— paul a. eisenstein, NBC News, "Trump’s new tax plan might just make your new car more costly," 21 Jan. 2018
Federal travel rules allow first- and business-class flights to be expensed to the EPA on long, international trips only.

— emily atkin, The New Republic, "The Conservative Coddling Of Scott Pruitt," 29 Mar. 2018
That number assumes that most of the personal income-tax reductions expire in eight years, and a break for expensing capital equipment starts phasing out in 2023.

— shawn tully, Fortune, "How Debt Could Blow Up the Trump Economy," 15 Mar. 2018
For the buyers, partial-interest sales make the equity required for the deals more manageable, and reduce taxes and other transaction expenses that typically come with the purchase of entire buildings.

— keiko morris, WSJ, "Why Sell a Billion-Dollar Building When You Can Unload a Piece of It Instead?," 11 Mar. 2018

First Known Use of expense

circa 1909

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Other Economics Terms

actuary, compound interest, globalization, indemnity, portfolio, rentier, stagflation, usurer

EXPENSE Defined for English Language Learners

expense

noun

Definition of expense for English Language Learners

: the amount of money that is needed to pay for or buy something
: an amount of money that must be spent especially regularly to pay for something
: something on which money is spent

EXPENSE Defined for Kids

expense

noun ex·pense \ ik-ˈspens \

Definition of expense for Students

1 : something spent or required to be spent : cost

2 : a cause for spending

A car can be a great expense.

Law Dictionary

expense

noun ex·pense

legal Definition of expense

: financial burden or outlay; specifically : an item of business outlay chargeable against revenue for a specific period

— business expense

: an expense made in furtherance of one's business especially as part of the cost of operating a business in the taxable year in which the expense is incurred — compare capital expense and personal expense in this entry

Note: Business expenses are generally tax deductible in the year the expense is incurred.

— capital expense

: an expense made in a business that will provide a long-term benefit : capital expenditure

Note: Capital expenses are not tax deductible as business expenses but may be used for depreciation or amortization.

— moving expense

: an expense incurred in changing one's residence that is tax deductible if incurred for business reasons (as when one's job requires relocation)

— ordinary and necessary expense

: an expense that is normal or customary and helpful and appropriate for the operation of a particular business or trade and that is made during the taxable year — called also ordinary and necessary business expense

Note: Ordinary and necessary expenses are tax deductible.

— personal expense

: an expense incurred in the course of one's personal affairs as distinguished from the course of one's employment or the operation of a business — compare business expense in this entry

Note: Personal expenses are usually not tax deductible.