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
Relevance
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
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 expend
Or prosecutors could drop the matter altogether, given the age of the defendants, the costs and court resources that would have to be expended, and the fact that all four of the original defendants have served at least some time in prison.
—
Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
On top of that, the U.S. also expended more than 100 sophisticated SM-3 and SM-6 naval interceptors in Israel’s defense.
—Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 3 June 2026
Smith receives limited federal grants, but battling the Education Department requires expending time, attention and money to a lawsuit rather than devoting those resources to student education.
—Marie-Amelie George, The Conversation, 28 May 2026
The more tokens expended, the more productive that employee’s AI agents were, or at least, the more AI-forward and innovative that employee was trying to be.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for expend
Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
On top of that, the U.S. also expended more than 100 sophisticated SM-3 and SM-6 naval interceptors in Israel’s defense.
—Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 3 June 2026
Smith receives limited federal grants, but battling the Education Department requires expending time, attention and money to a lawsuit rather than devoting those resources to student education.
—Marie-Amelie George, The Conversation, 28 May 2026
The more tokens expended, the more productive that employee’s AI agents were, or at least, the more AI-forward and innovative that employee was trying to be.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for expend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expend
Verb
-
As Kennedy and Bessette spend more time together and grow closer, her intimidation of the spotlight and fear of invasive paparazzi often create tension in their relationship, despite his attempts to calm the situation.—
Gerrad Hall,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 June 2026
-
Clare joins me now to share why readers are spending real time and money to live inside their favorite fictional stories.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
Verb
-
The fact that it was conceived without thought and for decades was produced and consumed without thought is immaterial.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
20 June 2026
-
Treat Infestations Sprinkling a mix of equal parts borax and sugar can help get rid of bugs like ants and roaches (they’ll be attracted to the sugar and die after consuming the borax).—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
Leslie, Milton-Jones and Dixon discussed the WNBA’s 30-season landmark before the game, paying tribute to Ogwumike and reflecting on what the WNBPA has achieved.—
Joaquin Ruiz,
Los Angeles Times,
22 June 2026
-
Recipients born between the 11th and 20th are paid on the third Wednesday, and those born after the 20th are paid on the fourth Wednesday.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
Verb
-
The hotel’s wellness center offers Ayurvedic herbal scrubs, Reiki, hydrotherapy, lymphatic draining massages, colonics and acupuncture.—
Sandra Guzmán,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
-
Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Her blood loss was reportedly so severe that the hospital exhausted its supply of her blood type during treatment.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
18 June 2026
-
Jones countered with more than $25 million from his own family fortune, fueling a contest that left both candidates bruised and voters exhausted.—
Greg Bluestein,
AJC.com,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Experts also speculate that the darker blue color may be helping the Reflecting Pool absorb more heat.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
-
South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu made a mistake earlier that led to Mexico's goal and 1-0 lead, but Kim just kept his team down just one goal after saving a hard shot in the 71st minute by absorbing a hard shot from Raúl Jiménez to his chest and face.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expend. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
