Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

expend

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of expend

1 to hand over or use up in payment
  • redecoration will have to wait, since weʼve just expended our last dollar in buying the house
Synonyms of expend

disburse, drop, fork (over, out, or up), give, lay out, outlay, pay, shell out, spend
Words Related to expend

lavish, rain

blow, dissipate, fritter (away), run through, squander, throw away, waste
Near Antonyms of expend

cache, hoard, lay up, save

acquire, earn, gain, garner, make, procure, realize, secure, win
2 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 of expend

absorb, burn, consume, deplete, devour, drain, draw down, exhaust, play out, spend, use up
Words Related to expend

abate, decrease, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower, reduce

eat, use

bankrupt, clean (out), impoverish

cripple, debilitate, disable, enfeeble, sap, undermine, weaken

dry up, empty

blow, dissipate, fritter (away), guzzle, lavish, misspend, run through, squander, throw away, waste
Phrases Synonymous with expend

run out of
Near Antonyms of expend

augment, enlarge, increase

bolster, enforce, fortify, reinforce (also reenforce), strengthen

rebuild, repair, restore, revive

conserve, preserve, save
Antonyms of expend

renew, replace

Learn More about expend

  1. See words that rhyme with expend Dictionary: Definition of expend Spanish Central: Translation of expend Nglish: Translation of expend for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of expend for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up expend? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

WORD OF THE DAY

imbroglio

a complex dispute or argument

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. cache BuzzFeed reports on Trump-Cohen documents.

  2. intransigence, intransigent Trump cancels Davos trip.

  3. white supremacist Steve King discusses views.

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games