outlay

1 of 2

verb

out·​lay ˈau̇t-ˌlā 

ˌau̇t-ˈlā

outlaid ˈau̇t-ˌlād 

ˌau̇t-ˈlād

; outlaying

transitive verb

: to lay out (money) : expend

outlay

2 of 2

noun

out·​lay ˈau̇t-ˌlā 

1

: the act of expending

2

: expenditure, payment

outlays for national defense

Synonyms

Verb

• disburse
• drop
• expend
• fork (over, out, or up)
• give
• lay out
• pay
• shell out
• spend

Noun

• charge
• cost
• disbursement
• expenditure
• expense
• outgo

Examples of outlay in a Sentence

Verb

the nation had outlaid nearly 20 billion dollars on social programs at that point

Noun

The initial outlay for the program will be 2.4 million dollars.

Maintaining a horse requires considerable outlay.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Vasquez then asked if the RDA had outlaid any money for LaPorte County for shoreline development. —Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025

Vasquez then asked if the RDA had outlaid any money for LaPorte County for shoreline development. —Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025

Noun

But that outlay last summer was one that looked to the future as much as to the season immediately ahead, with the signings listed above, plus further additions in Brajan Gruda, Malick Yalcouye and Ibrahim Osman, all aged between 19 and 25. —Tim Spiers, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025

The Kremlin’s financial outlays have thus created a large group of people who owe their material advancement—and their career prospects—to an unjust war. —Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 17 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1802, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1798, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for outlay

• airway
• allay
• archway
• array
• ashtray
• astray
• aue
• away
• ballet
• belay
• beltway
• beret

Kids Definition

outlay

noun

out·​lay

ˈau̇t-ˌlā

1

: the act of spending

2

: an amount spent : payment