1
as in to spend
to hand over or use up in payment
redecoration will have to wait, since we've just expended our last dollar in buying the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to consume
to make complete use of
settlers had to be sure not to expend their supply of firewood before the end of the long winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of expend
No state funds were expended on his travel, and the group does not have a lobbying arm.
—
Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Sep. 2025
There were concerns that rankings could serve as maladaptive motivators for health institutions, encouraging them to expend resources to climb the ranks rather than to serve their patients.
—Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
The preference is always to miss Wyoming away, given the 7,220 feet of elevation and the remote locale that forces SDSU to expend two of its typically four allotted charter legs each season.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Sep. 2025
Less drag means less power expended, which means that the car can go further on a single charge.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expend
Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Sep. 2025
There were concerns that rankings could serve as maladaptive motivators for health institutions, encouraging them to expend resources to climb the ranks rather than to serve their patients.
—Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
The preference is always to miss Wyoming away, given the 7,220 feet of elevation and the remote locale that forces SDSU to expend two of its typically four allotted charter legs each season.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Sep. 2025
Less drag means less power expended, which means that the car can go further on a single charge.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expend
Verb
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The subject never came up again, and the family spent the rest of the week as if nothing had happened.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
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Pooro manages to escape and finds her way home to her parents, who disown her for having spent a fortnight with a Muslim.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Nutrient-rich agricultural runoff and sewage cause huge algal blooms, and when these algae die and sink, bacteria bloom in turn, consuming so much oxygen that few other organisms survive at lower depths.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
31 Oct. 2025
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While newborns may only consume around 8-16 ounces of formula per day on average, that amount bumps to an average of 24-40 ounces a day by 6 months of age.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Surely America should pay Black people for its crimes, too.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
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Groginsky told me that, no matter what, New Mexico expects to be able to pay for its child-care program through 2026.—
Elliot Haspel,
The Atlantic,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This big snaking thing is dipped into the pool, and starts draining it from everyone else.—
Caroline Mimbs Nyce,
New Yorker,
30 Oct. 2025
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The following weeks were emotionally draining.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The group exhausts and irritates opposing pitchers.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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However, the players named in the probe have already exhausted their eligibility.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The silky fibers are smartly engineered to absorb moisture and promote airflow, helping even the warmest sleepers stay comfortable all night long.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
31 Oct. 2025
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The hallmark of every overnight shed or self-care day, the best face hydrogel masks create a hydrating, occlusive environment that helps the skin absorb active ingredients more effectively.—
Iman Balagam,
Vogue,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Expend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expend. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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