as in expense
a payment made in the course of achieving a result
the outlays for the couple's upcoming wedding seem to be multiplying at an incredible rate
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to spend
to hand over or use up in payment
the nation had outlaid nearly 20 billion dollars on social programs at that point
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of outlay
Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 May 2026
Spending on new projects surged by more than 50% compared to a year earlier, with military and transport outlays also up significantly.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 6 May 2026
Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025
Linear ratings are in decline and ad demand has been muted for several quarters owing to economic unrest and changes in how Madison Avenue outlays its dollars for media.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for outlay
Noun
Capital outlays and financial transfers also are expected to decline.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 May 2026
Spending on new projects surged by more than 50% compared to a year earlier, with military and transport outlays also up significantly.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 6 May 2026
Verb
Vasquez then asked if the RDA had outlaid any money for LaPorte County for shoreline development.
—Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025
Linear ratings are in decline and ad demand has been muted for several quarters owing to economic unrest and changes in how Madison Avenue outlays its dollars for media.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for outlay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outlay
Noun
-
That's because the cost of jet fuel — which can account for about 30% of airlines' total expenses — has soared during the war.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
-
The caller told them a family member had been detained, which was untrue, and demanded money for legal expenses.—
Kassia Bonesteel,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Robert had spent the last few years accruing credit card points—more on that below—in the hopes of planning a blowout honeymoon experience for the wanderlusting couple, who had previously traveled together to romantic destinations like Japan and the south of France.—
Kaitlin Menza,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 June 2026
-
Grown-ups bring a ladder to climb into the enormous fruit, kids gather up their inflatable toys, someone makes a waterslide out of a piece of rind, and the whole community spends the day splashing in the juice and pulp (being careful to remove the seeds first).—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Removing barriers for non-traditional students like prohibitive costs or complicated admissions and financial aid processes is one way to improve access, said Lane, who helps create the commission’s enrollment reports.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
-
Industry groups warned that capping emissions too much and too quickly would push refineries out of the state and drive up already soaring energy costs.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
The row between crypto companies and banks came down to whether those offering stablecoin accounts should be able to pay interest on deposits like traditional bank accounts, with banking groups warning that the stability of the financial system could be undermined as people move their money.—
Billy Bambrough,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
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To pay for her medical bills, the family had to sell most of their remaining cattle and goats, a bitter blow after years of drought had already decimated local herds.—
Tommy Trenchard,
NPR,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Finance chiefs at five of the giant hyperscalers—Meta’s Susan Li, Microsoft’s Amy Hood, Alphabet’s Anat Ashkenazi, Oracle’s Hilary Maxson, and OpenAI’s Sarah Friar—are collectively overseeing hundreds of billions in capital expenditures.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
1 June 2026
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Despite a crowded field of candidates with notable resumes, as well as record-breaking spending by Steyer and independent-expenditure committees.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outlay. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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