1
as in to pay
to hand over or use up in payment
I always end up spending too much money at the mall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to consume
to make complete use of
the town has already spent its budget for snow removal, and it's only January
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to waste
to use up carelessly
spent all his energy on impractical schemes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of spend
Gu spent summers in Beijing, but did most of her formative training in the Lake Tahoe area, and went to school in San Francisco.
—
Sean Gregory, Time, 22 Feb. 2026
What’s more, proponents of attachment parenting also indicate that carried babies tend to be happy babies and spend more time alert and observing their environment.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 22 Feb. 2026
Following your whims is the perfect way to spend today.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 22 Feb. 2026
Consumers don't have to spend a fortune to get a capable new vehicle.
—Morgan Korn, ABC News, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spend
Sean Gregory, Time, 22 Feb. 2026
What’s more, proponents of attachment parenting also indicate that carried babies tend to be happy babies and spend more time alert and observing their environment.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 22 Feb. 2026
Following your whims is the perfect way to spend today.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 22 Feb. 2026
Consumers don't have to spend a fortune to get a capable new vehicle.
—Morgan Korn, ABC News, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spend
Verb
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The reality, however, will likely prove more complicated as the administration weighs its next moves and how — or whether — to issue refunds for tariffs already paid.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
23 Feb. 2026
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French President Emmanuel Macron called for calm on Saturday as some 3,000 people joined a march in Lyon organized by far-right groups to pay tribute to Deranque.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But food science specialists say the coatings are safe to consume and are applied in very small amounts, according to Donald Schwan, department chair, distinguished professor, and extension specialist in food science at Rutgers University.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
21 Feb. 2026
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If power is lost for less than two hours, most perishable food should be safe to consume.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Don’t diminish your life savings or waste even more money on an exorbitant amount of rent, and buy this affordable tiny home today.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Feb. 2026
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Use a Two-Basin Wash and Rinse Method To keep utility costs under control and reduce the amount of water wasted, use a two-basin method when hand-washing dishes.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The 31-year-old right-hander is being given an opportunity to make the starting rotation, one of a group of what is likely five pitchers vying for what is almost certainly one available spot at the start of the season.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
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And there are likely more revelations and resignations to come, given the millions of documents spanning many years in the files released.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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CEOs are struggling to switch off, Ko says, and making high-stakes decisions while their mental batteries are drained.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
20 Feb. 2026
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This was an adaptation of the 1906 novel about the meatpacking industry by Upton Sinclair; famously, Lookingglass actors hung by their heels, depicting the draining carcasses of the Chicago Stockyards.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Sun Belt is the only real exception, having now defined itself as FBS’ actual Southeastern conference, partly by losing its former oddballs like Idaho and New Mexico State.—
Jason Kirk,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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The Nuggets wound up losing Alex English to a thumb injury in Game 4 of those finals, and the Lakers took the series in five.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This is particularly important when air-drying laundry, taking a shower, cooking, or cleaning, and it should be done even in kitchens and bathrooms with ventilation systems that exhaust directly to the outdoors.—
Nashia Baker,
Martha Stewart,
19 Feb. 2026
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Sources stressed the request for help from Mexico was to exhaust all options but there is not any clear evidence suggesting either Guthrie or the kidnappers are there.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This liquid encapsulates the power of glutathione in teeny tiny nano liposomes—less than 100nm—which the brand says is even more easily absorbed by your body.—
Brianna Peters,
Vogue,
21 Feb. 2026
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The company raised prices across its product lines and cut expenses out of its marketing budget to absorb some of the tariff costs, but did not implement any layoffs, Stephen Woldenberg said.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spend. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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