outlays 1 of 2

Definition of outlaysnext
plural of outlay
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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outlays

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of outlay

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 outlays
Noun
What is clear is that Kalshi is increasing its direct outlays to lobbyists, political campaigns and contributions to the Coalition for Prediction Markets. Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 27 Mar. 2026 Starting in 2010, the program began running cash flow negative, meaning that its outlays exceeded its tax revenues. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026 The latest estimate revised several output categories lower, including exports, consumer spending and government outlays. Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026 Nebius Chief Executive Officer Arkady Volozh said his company relies chiefly on Nvidia’s chips and that the new investment is a small portion of its outlays. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026 Fast forward to 2025 when the total outlays are now north of $7 trillion a year, more than a 360% increase in national spending in the 30 years since term limits were wrested from the American public. Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 27 Feb. 2026 Federal government outlays plunged nearly 17% amid the shutdown. Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026 Sacramento’s schools have been teetering on the edge of insolvency for years due to outlays that are markedly greater than income. Dan Walters, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outlays
Noun
  • While bonds are used to pay for projects, governments typically use tax levies to pay for operating expenses like wages, health care or utilities.
    Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026
  • To pay for the various expenses of running a rescue, Ruth began attending reptile expos.
    Julian Camejo, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Whether or not a school-age child spends their school day on a screen shouldn’t be dependent on where mom or dad can find a job.
    Abby McCloskey, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Rochester, for example, spends about 250,000 pounds ($330,000) a year on music, a substantial outlay for a provincial cathedral but less than some.
    ABC News, ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • At a time when festivals like Sol Blume, Goldensky and Breakaway have been cancelled or postponed, citing costs or unforeseen circumstances, Channel 24 credits the Sacramento community as the key to their success.
    Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Putting even a small piece of trash in the recycling stream or non-compostable items in the compost bin can require additional effort to re-sort at processing facilities, which increases costs and energy usage, or contaminates the entire process altogether, ultimately creating more trash.
    Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Austin also pays its top officials more money with a few notable exceptions.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 2 Apr. 2026
  • On average, the federal government pays roughly 70% of the total cost of the overarching Medicaid program in Idaho, which includes the expansion.
    Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • But transportation costs are still the second-largest household cost after housing, averaging 17% of expenditures, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
  • For example, between 2014 and 2018, PBMs’ share of insulin expenditures nearly tripled with no overall savings to payers.
    Neeraj Sood, STAT, 30 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Outlays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outlays. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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