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 $500,000 spent by the DMFI PAC is an independent expenditure, meaning there are no monetary limits and can’t be associated with a candidate campaign. —Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 9 May 2026

The committee’s report, issued in 2011, was inconclusive as to legal wrongdoing but raised concerns about the organizations’ governance and reported substantial and lavish expenditures that benefited the Whites and their family members. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026

SpaceX, set to be the largest IPO in history, has previewed huge expenditures, including launchpads and a new solar-cell factory, The Wall Street Journal reported. —J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 7 May 2026

In the Disruption Index, 73 percent of growth leaders have switched suppliers or trading partners in response to tariffs, and 55 percent have increased capital expenditure to reposition their supply chain, using AI and analytics as core enablers. —Catherine Nekavand, Footwear News, 7 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