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
Relevance
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
Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
Focus Media has thrived with overall gains by China’s well-off consumers and advertising outlays.
—Russell Flannery, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
With resources at a premium, now is the time to reassess products and services, perhaps remarket or rebrand and, most importantly, determine how best to outlay capital.
—Noelle Federico, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for outlay
Noun
Update Kane’s outlays to assume losses of a hundred million annually, in perpetuity.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
Focus Media has thrived with overall gains by China’s well-off consumers and advertising outlays.
—Russell Flannery, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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
With resources at a premium, now is the time to reassess products and services, perhaps remarket or rebrand and, most importantly, determine how best to outlay capital.
—Noelle Federico, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for outlay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outlay
Noun
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American farmers say an oversupply of eggs is forcing them to sell at rock-bottom rates, while expenses like packaging and shipping continue to climb.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
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The parents or hosts bearing a disproportionate share of the expense is not surprising, and should not be a cause of embarrassment as long as proper gratitude is expressed.—
Judith Martin,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Paul has a reputation for taking collectibles to extreme levels and has spent millions to secure some of the rarest items ever produced, including NFTs - unique, verifiable digital assets traded on the blockchain.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
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Despite our diversity, each of us spent many years in private practice before the Arkansas courts before ascending to service on the state's highest court.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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During warmer months, when the path is crowded with tourists in leisure mode, anyone who walks with a purpose should avoid the Bridge at all costs.—
Katie James Watkinson,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
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For electricity, that means expanding dispatchable generation, especially natural gas, strengthening the grid, streamlining permitting, and ensuring reliability is prioritized over mandates that raise costs or weaken supply.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Those who make these claims apparently haven't been paying much attention these past four years, in particular to which side (hint, Russia) has been forced to shed most of that blood.—
Bradley Gitz,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
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Only recently had many countries stopped treating solo female travelers as a problem to be managed, no longer refusing them hotel rooms when traveling without a man, or denying them credit cards to pay for it.—
Lilit Marcus,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In its First Interim Financial Report released in December, LAUSD projected a $877 million deficit — about 14% of its unrestricted general fund expenditures — for the 2026–27 school year, followed by a $443 million deficit the year after.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
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Additionally, hyperscalers, including Amazon , Microsoft , Meta , and Alphabet , announced capital expenditure of up to $700 billion on AI this year, which has raised concerns over returns and whether the extent of AI spend is justified.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outlay. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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