as in expenses
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 spends
to hand over or use up in payment
the nation had outlaid nearly 20 billion dollars on social programs at that point
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Recent Examples of outlays
Joseph De Weck, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
By 2036, mandatory outlays such as Social Security and major health care programs such as Medicaid and Medicare will total more than $7 trillion, vying for the majority of the government’s funding before discretionary spending can be allocated.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
Meantime, outlays rose at building materials stores and sporting goods retailers.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
Update Kane’s outlays to assume losses of a hundred million annually, in perpetuity.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
These sectors have also utilized a substantial portion of last year’s outlays.
—Ashutosh Joshi, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
Focus Media has thrived with overall gains by China’s well-off consumers and advertising outlays.
—Russell Flannery, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Newsom’s declaration touched off a spending spree that boosted outlays by $14 billion.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 13 Jan. 2026
Newsom’s declaration touched off a spending spree that boosted outlays by $14 billion.
—Dan Walters, Oc Register, 12 Jan. 2026
Noun
This move came from the realization that even serious spending hikes in individual countries—European states have doubled their defense outlays since 2015—would vary widely given the economic disparities.
—Joseph De Weck, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
By 2036, mandatory outlays such as Social Security and major health care programs such as Medicaid and Medicare will total more than $7 trillion, vying for the majority of the government’s funding before discretionary spending can be allocated.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
Meantime, outlays rose at building materials stores and sporting goods retailers.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
Update Kane’s outlays to assume losses of a hundred million annually, in perpetuity.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
These sectors have also utilized a substantial portion of last year’s outlays.
—Ashutosh Joshi, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
Focus Media has thrived with overall gains by China’s well-off consumers and advertising outlays.
—Russell Flannery, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Newsom’s declaration touched off a spending spree that boosted outlays by $14 billion.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 13 Jan. 2026
Newsom’s declaration touched off a spending spree that boosted outlays by $14 billion.
—Dan Walters, Oc Register, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outlays
Noun
-
Trump’s tariffs added $1,000 in tax expenses for the average US household in 2025, according to the conservative-leaning Tax Foundation.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Jones’ salary and business expenses totaled more than $607,000, which put him above the presidents of the biggest unions in the country.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Legal experts say lawsuits can sometimes be faster avenues for change, especially given Big Tech, like Big Tobacco before it, spends heavily on lobbying.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Meyer argues that the state spends billions without addressing glaring needs, and 5200 could cost less than roller-coastering people through hospitals, courts, jails and prisons without putting them on a healthier track.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Stepanova says the early 2025 rate change was implemented to recover costs associated with upgrades to safety and reliability upgrades to natural gas infrastructure, saying a portion of the update took effect in late 2024.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
22 Feb. 2026
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But drought and overuse have raised water costs, causing farmers in the western part of the county to leave more than 200,000 acres of land fallow.—
Elizabeth Weise,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The album's eclectic throwback sound pays tribute to the singer's Boricua roots, incorporating traditional genres such as Plena, salsa and jibaro into his signature Latin urbano style.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
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Another conundrum is how to model a fair system to charge for cars registered outside of the municipality that owns and pays for the parking facility.—
Harvey Levine,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
But particularly concerning to him is the uncertainty regarding the return on investment companies will receive from high capital expenditures, driven primarily by investments in artificial intelligence and data centers.—
Davis Giangiulio,
CNBC,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outlays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outlays. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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