costs 1 of 2

plural of cost
1
as in expenses
a payment made in the course of achieving a result the newlyweds spared no cost in building the kitchen of their dreams

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
3
as in prices
the loss or penalty involved in achieving a goal they won the war, but at a terrible cost in lives

Synonyms & Similar Words

costs

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of cost

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of costs
Noun
This is an ongoing process that accounts for changes in policies, seasonality, costs and coverage limitations. — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026 Just over 13 percent cited rising energy and transportation costs. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 2 Nov. 2026 The company showed robust sales growth despite soaring memory costs, which have sandbagged other electronics makers, and which Apple blamed for a $100 price increase on iPhones. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026 The number was partly offset by higher sports programming and production costs for the World Cup and higher digital content costs. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2026 Supply and transportation costs could drive up Dungeness crab prices in California for the holiday season. — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 2 Nov. 2026 As Americans prepare to vote in Tuesday's midterm elections, rising healthcare costs are among the top financial and economic concerns, according to recent polling. — ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026 Consequently, when convenience comes at a premium, an increasing number of travelers are weighing costs and opting for more economical transport modes. — CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026 The Post measured affordability by comparing what a basic family budget costs in each county with what households there earn. — Amy L. Wong, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
Verb
Each of these cables costs a thousand euros, as per today’s prices, pushing up the cost of such a quantum computer. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026 Shipping experts say rural delivery costs more because drivers make fewer stops per mile, increasing the cost per package. — Barbara Booth, CNBC, 19 Apr. 2026 Beyond that, self-parking typically costs $25 per day but may cost more during special events. — Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 2 Oct. 2025 Worse, may car owners act like their car only costs the incremental cost of operating it, which can appear be under 5 cents/mile in an EV. — Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for costs
Noun
  • Koppie reported raising exactly enough to cover his campaign’s expenses of less than $3,000 from July through September, most of it out of his own pocket.
    — Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The analysis did not separately calculate the administrator’s share of those expenses.
    — Natalie Jones, Baltimore Sun, 28 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • In addition, when a resident signs a lease with us, all fees are clearly listed on the first page of the lease, with a total monthly obligation tallied at the bottom of the page.
    — Monique John, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The developers may seek appellate review, and the court reserved jurisdiction to consider attorney’s fees and costs.
    — Sarah Kinbar, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Wholesale prices are only one part of a household bill, typically 30% to 50%, according to PolitiFact, so residential bills haven’t risen nearly that much.
    — Sasha Tuddenham, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2026
  • At a minimum, employers are expecting and supporting more federal and state regulation to rein in hospital and drug prices.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 29 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Poor land produces poor fleece, which fetches poor prices, leaving farmers without the means to restore the land.
    — Bella Webb, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Zaïd fetches water from a well and makes a fire to heat a kettle for tea.
    — Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • According to the district’s chief business officer Gerardo Castillo, Sac City Unified’s initial report included only its 2025-26 expenditures and left out spending from 2024-25.
    — Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • However, skeptics are getting more vocal in their concerns that returns on AI investment won't justify the capital expenditures.
    — Isabel O'Brien, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The program brings aircraft developers and public agencies together to test operations before wider deployment.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Eventually the inevitability of gravity brings them close enough to suddenly merge, sending out a tremendous blast of matter and energy that can outshine the sun by a factor of many billions, though just for the briefest fraction of a second.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Costs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/costs. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster