Synonyms of spends

spends

verb

present tense third-person singular of spend

1

as in pays

to hand over or use up in payment

I always end up spending too much money at the mall

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pays
• gives
• expends
• disburses
• outlays
• lays out
• wastes
• drops
• shells out
• lavishes
• forks (over, out, or up)
• rains
• squanders
• dissipates
• runs through
• blows
• throws away
• fritters (away)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• saves
• earns
• makes
• realizes
• acquires
• wins
• procures
• secures
• hoards
• lays up
• gains
• caches
• garners

2

as in consumes

to make complete use of

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• consumes
• exhausts
• drains
• absorbs
• reduces
• uses
• expends
• burns
• eats
• depletes
• devours
• plays out
• decreases
• empties
• draws down
• runs out of
• wastes
• uses up
• diminishes
• lowers
• weakens
• downsizes
• dwindles
• undermines
• lessens
• impoverishes
• cleans (out)
• saps
• squanders
• blows
• cripples
• bankrupts
• lavishes
• disables
• debilitates
• guzzles
• abates
• de-escalates
• dissipates
• runs through
• enfeebles
• dries up
• throws away
• misspends
• fritters (away)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• replaces
• increases
• renews
• augments
• enforces
• reinforces
• enlarges
• repairs
• strengthens
• saves
• restores
• preserves
• revives
• conserves
• fortifies
• bolsters
• rebuilds

3

as in loses

to use up carelessly

spent all his energy on impractical schemes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• loses
• wastes
• lavishes
• squanders
• consumes
• blows
• runs through
• dissipates
• throws away
• misspends
• trifles (away)
• indulges
• fritters (away)
• expends
• plays ducks and drakes with
• fiddles away
• depletes
• exhausts
• impoverishes
• disburses
• overspends
• splurges
• overindulges
• shoots
• lays out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• conserves
• protects
• economizes
• saves
• preserves
• skimps
• scrimps
• hoards
• lays up

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of spends

If an engineer spends 40% of the day chasing approvals, moving data between systems or completing repetitive tasks, then high-value talent is operating below capacity. — Priya Sawant, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 9 July 2026

Instead, Thames spends much of the book turning the lens on his own profession, arguing that journalists didn’t do enough to explain their work to readers. — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 9 July 2026

Yet California already spends billions on affordable housing, and the state’s construction record does not match the initiative’s goals. — Wayne Winegarden, Oc Register, 9 July 2026

Starbucks spends about $400 million a year on software alone, Chief Technology Officer Anand Varadarajan told workers in an internal forum earlier this year. — Daniela Sirtori, Fortune, 9 July 2026

This is the sort of player who spends two years at a Premier League club before being given a £60million-plus price tag when United enquire. — Carl Anka, New York Times, 9 July 2026

Tequila, on the other hand, usually spends less than three years in barrels. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 9 July 2026

Pz’ spends much of his proper debut, No Turning Back, equally baffled by his good fortune and ready to fasten it to his side with a Gucci strap before anyone else can take it. — Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 3 July 2026