Synonyms of spend

spend

verb

ˈspend 

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

• pay
• give
• expend
• disburse
• lay out
• waste
• outlay
• shell out
• drop
• lavish
• fork (over, out, or up)
• squander
• rain
• throw away
• dissipate
• run through
• blow
• fritter (away)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• save
• make
• earn
• realize
• acquire
• hoard
• win
• gain
• secure
• procure
• lay up
• cache
• garner

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

• consume
• drain
• exhaust
• absorb
• burn
• use
• reduce
• expend
• eat
• deplete
• play out
• use up
• devour
• draw down
• waste
• run out of
• decrease
• empty
• diminish
• downsize
• weaken
• clean (out)
• undermine
• dwindle
• bankrupt
• lessen
• impoverish
• squander
• cripple
• blow
• dry up
• misspend
• lavish
• abate
• disable
• lower
• debilitate
• sap
• guzzle
• throw away
• enfeeble
• dissipate
• run through
• de-escalate
• fritter (away)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• replace
• increase
• renew
• enforce
• augment
• enlarge
• reinforce
• save
• strengthen
• restore
• preserve
• repair
• rebuild
• conserve
• revive
• bolster
• fortify

3

as in to waste

to use up carelessly

spent all his energy on impractical schemes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• waste
• lose
• lavish
• squander
• misspend
• consume
• throw away
• blow
• dissipate
• run through
• trifle (away)
• splurge
• indulge
• fritter (away)
• expend
• play ducks and drakes with
• fiddle away
• deplete
• exhaust
• impoverish
• disburse
• overspend
• shoot
• overindulge
• lay out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• conserve
• save
• economize
• protect
• preserve
• skimp
• scrimp
• hoard
• lay up

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of spend

Stroll along the 1000-foot long Daytona Beach Pier, catch a concert in the oceanfront bandshell, or spend the day swimming, boating, or kayaking. —Lisa A. Beach, Southern Living, 10 May 2026

Whether the execution matches the ambition will depend on decisions being made right now about how much to spend, where to direct it and whether the data systems needed to measure success get rebuilt. —Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026

The final two flights, which will evacuate people to Australia and the Netherlands, will depart tomorrow, the health minister said, with those passengers set to spend another night on board the ship tonight. —Vasco Cotovio, CNN Money, 10 May 2026

Landon was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 1991 and spent the last few months of his life advocating for a cure. —Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 10 May 2026