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
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Recent Examples of spend
The head of the Federal Transit Administration is coming to Charlotte after the city’s transit system spent much of 2025 in the spotlight for a pair of violent incidents.
—
Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 8 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, with more than $1 billion spent on players this year by the Power Four teams chasing a title, maybe there's a cheaper way.
—Arkansas Online, 8 Jan. 2026
The astronauts were split into four groups, each of which spent nearly a week in underground isolation.
—Joe Wilkins Published Jan 8, Futurism, 8 Jan. 2026
If your intention is to purchase a sleeper sofa for such usage, it’s recommended to spend $300-$500 minimum.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spend
Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 8 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, with more than $1 billion spent on players this year by the Power Four teams chasing a title, maybe there's a cheaper way.
—Arkansas Online, 8 Jan. 2026
The astronauts were split into four groups, each of which spent nearly a week in underground isolation.
—Joe Wilkins Published Jan 8, Futurism, 8 Jan. 2026
If your intention is to purchase a sleeper sofa for such usage, it’s recommended to spend $300-$500 minimum.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spend
Verb
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This means any unpaid amount, whether utilities or other charges, can make an account delinquent because it must be paid at the same time as rent.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Jan. 2026
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Planting a vineyard in the Bay Area can cost between $30,000 and $80,000 per acre, but some are choosing to just leave them sit rather than pay to maintain them.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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His first time on air, and another chance to change how viewers consume the country’s most popular sport, was only minutes away.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
10 Jan. 2026
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When possible, consume vitamin A through nutritious foods like carrots, sweet potatoes, liver, and eggs instead of dietary supplements to optimize your health.—
Megan Nunn,
Verywell Health,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But waste diversion rates — the amount of garbage being recycled instead of dumped in landfills — remain stubbornly low.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
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So some of that fancy technology is going to waste.—
Camila Domonoske,
NPR,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Historically, the water’s purity was singular, giving life to a watershed that flourished because of a unique paucity of nutrients, a situation that hindered the pursuit of any single species that would dominate the rest.—
Amy Green,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
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Utopia Bedding Quilted Comforter This Utopia Bedding comforter keeps my bed looking super fluffy and cloud-like and gives my bedroom an expensive look.—
Genevieve Cepeda,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Check Drainage and Irrigate Poorly draining soil causes root rot and plant failure.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
15 Jan. 2026
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That organization often charges more for its services than county public guardians, which along with fees billed by lawyers working on the cases can quickly drain a person’s savings, the Tribune found.—
Christy Gutowski,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Indiana has lost more than 700 games in its history and now is one game away from a national title.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
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To our minds, Wednesday's horror, those kids who lost a mother, should supplant the inevitable circling of the ideological wagons and the parsing of the different angles of pictures taken at the scene.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Others were exhausted from hearing about some of the wealthiest people on the planet barely holding it together.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
15 Jan. 2026
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But the Beige Book suggested that time may now be nigh, with businesses having exhausted their pre-tariff stockpiles and now have a need to pass the cost increases to consumers.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Due to the inability to absorb adequate nutrients, the body might become malnourished.—
Pamela Assid Woughter,
Verywell Health,
9 Jan. 2026
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Unlike glossy black, this effect absorbs light in a subtle way, creating a richer, more modern visual texture.—
Andrea Carbajal,
Glamour,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spend. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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