Synonyms of spending

spending

verb

present participle of spend

1

as in paying

to hand over or use up in payment

I always end up spending too much money at the mall

Synonyms & Similar Words

• paying
• giving
• expending
• disbursing
• wasting
• laying out
• outlaying
• dropping
• shelling out
• forking (over, out, or up)
• lavishing
• raining
• squandering
• dissipating
• blowing
• running through
• throwing away
• frittering (away)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• saving
• making
• earning
• hoarding
• acquiring
• securing
• realizing
• procuring
• winning
• gaining
• laying up
• caching
• garnering

2

as in consuming

to make complete use of

the town has already spent its budget for snow removal, and it's only January

Synonyms & Similar Words

• consuming
• draining
• exhausting
• reducing
• absorbing
• burning
• eating
• using
• depleting
• expending
• wasting
• devouring
• decreasing
• emptying
• playing out
• drawing down
• running out of
• using up
• lowering
• diminishing
• weakening
• downsizing
• dwindling
• undermining
• bankrupting
• crippling
• impoverishing
• lessening
• sapping
• cleaning (out)
• blowing
• squandering
• debilitating
• misspending
• disabling
• abating
• lavishing
• enfeebling
• guzzling
• drying up
• dissipating
• de-escalating
• throwing away
• running through
• frittering (away)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• increasing
• replacing
• renewing
• enforcing
• enlarging
• reinforcing
• strengthening
• augmenting
• repairing
• restoring
• rebuilding
• saving
• preserving
• reviving
• conserving
• bolstering
• fortifying

3

as in wasting

to use up carelessly

spent all his energy on impractical schemes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• wasting
• losing
• squandering
• lavishing
• blowing
• misspending
• consuming
• dissipating
• running through
• throwing away
• trifling (away)
• overspending
• frittering (away)
• splurging
• indulging
• fiddling away
• playing ducks and drakes with
• depleting
• exhausting
• expending
• impoverishing
• disbursing
• shooting
• overindulging
• laying out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• conserving
• protecting
• saving
• economizing
• preserving
• skimping
• scrimping
• hoarding
• laying up

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of spending

He was allowed to leave the country, spending weeks at a rehab facility in Switzerland. — Bob Harkins, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026

In the sweet snaps, the mother-son duo could be seen spending time together on the beach, posing after a tennis lesson and hanging out on vacation. — Georgia Slater, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026

The former Duchess of York has reportedly been spending her time abroad. — Lauryn Overhultz , Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026

In the 10 years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, the consulting firm McKinsey found, spending on noninstructional services grew four times faster than spending on teaching. — Jon Marcus, NPR, 1 Sep. 2026

Scientists now are spending an increasing amount of time worrying about keeping the lights on and people employed, which ultimately distracts from time spent doing research. — Abdullah Shihipar, STAT, 1 Sep. 2026

These have helped me stop trading my time for money and start spending time on unique experiences with my family and friends. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Willy Kurniawan | Reuters Indonesia may have trouble meeting its economic-growth goals for the coming year, after spending 2026 on the defensive amid questions about fiscal outlays and the prospects of a downgrade from MSCI. — Celestine Iyer, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026

Bauer’s granddaughter, Amelia Bauer, 33, said birthday plans for her grandma include spending the afternoon outside with neighbors and friends. — Chuck Fieldman, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026