indirect cost

noun

: a cost that is not identifiable with a specific product, function, or activity

Examples of indirect cost in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But a new federal policy would cap overhead reimbursement at 15%, reducing indirect cost support for many research centers and potentially reshaping how academic science is funded. Jiang Li, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025 Friction point: In one heated exchange, Energy subcommittee Ranking Member Marcy Kaptur accused Wright of failing to respond to a series of letters from the Hill on funding freezes and DOE's new cap on indirect costs in university research grants. Nick Sobczyk, Axios, 7 May 2025 The administration also recently issued a 15 percent cap on indirect costs of NIH grants. Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech, The Hill, 27 Mar. 2025 Additionally, the spokesperson said other funders, like the Gates Foundation, cap indirect costs at 15% and that each case of termination is being reviewed. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for indirect cost

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1909, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of indirect cost was circa 1909

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Indirect cost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indirect%20cost. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!