outlay 1 of 2

noun

ˈau̇t-ˌlā How to pronounce outlay (audio)
Definition of outlaynext
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

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outlay

2 of 2

verb

ˈau̇t-ˌlā How to pronounce outlay (audio)
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

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 outlay
Noun
This time, France's large pension outlays and its need to rein in public spending leave little room for maneuver. — Makini Brice, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026 Russia ramped up its military outlays, putting it on track to spend a record $200 billion on defense in 2026 with little sign of the Ukraine war coming to an end. — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
Microsoft plans to outlay $4 billion in the next five years worldwide. — Paresh Dave, Wired News, 24 Dec. 2025 Vasquez then asked if the RDA had outlaid any money for LaPorte County for shoreline development. — Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for outlay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outlay
  1. expense
  2. spend
  3. cost
  4. pay
  5. expenditure
Noun
  • As Rose begins his fight against leukemia, his family is facing the emotional and financial challenges of medical treatments and ongoing healthcare expenses.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Oct. 2026
  • For Hobby, delays in state funding for her college expenses — and now her professional licensing — slowed her progress toward a better-paying career.
    — Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of expense
Verb
  • Successful candidates will then be invited to spend a day at the bank’s offices where they are tested on banking regulation, their use of AI, and their ability to build calculations.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The Finnish Government has granted Posiva Oy an operating license for the world’s first permanent underground repository for spent nuclear fuel.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of spend
Noun
  • But then shipping disruptions, rising fuel costs, and steep international tariffs made exporting increasingly difficult, prompting Yu to turn her attention to building a domestic market.
    — Victoria Malloy, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Future success will require Space42 to turn its technological capabilities, capital commitments and international partnerships into commercially viable services that can compete across markets at scale and at a sustainable cost.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of cost
Verb
  • What began as a few purists chasing a vibe became an ingredient an entire industry pays extra for.
    — Matt Alt, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The data showed that principals often earn from $158,000 to $186,000 per year, while assistant principals were generally paid $150,000 to $179,000.
    — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of pay
Noun
  • According to the district’s chief business officer Gerardo Castillo, Sac City Unified’s initial report included only its 2025-26 expenditures and left out spending from 2024-25.
    — Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • However, skeptics are getting more vocal in their concerns that returns on AI investment won't justify the capital expenditures.
    — Isabel O'Brien, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of expenditure

Browse Nearby Words

outlaws
outlay
outlaying
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Cite this Entry

“Outlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outlay. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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