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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in loses
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 spends
Whether or not a school-age child spends their school day on a screen shouldn’t be dependent on where mom or dad can find a job.
—
Abby McCloskey, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Rochester, for example, spends about 250,000 pounds ($330,000) a year on music, a substantial outlay for a provincial cathedral but less than some.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Lawmakers have also focused on ensuring the administration spends federal dollars as directed by Congress.
—Lisa Mascaro, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
The federal government typically spends about $60 billion on transportation projects, and infrastructure advocates say the amount is barely enough to maintain the nation’s roads and transit systems.
—Keith Laing, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
The United States spends more on health care than any country in the world, yet millions still face major barriers to accessing care.
—Crystal Cene, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Marty is self-absorbed, forgetful, doesn’t much like people and spends hours online looking for advice about how to be a handyman.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 28 Mar. 2026
The first two will be built in Finland while the company spends between $700 million to $1 billion to renovate the shipyards in the ports of Galveston and Port Arthur, Texas.
—Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026
Abby McCloskey, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Rochester, for example, spends about 250,000 pounds ($330,000) a year on music, a substantial outlay for a provincial cathedral but less than some.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Lawmakers have also focused on ensuring the administration spends federal dollars as directed by Congress.
—Lisa Mascaro, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
The federal government typically spends about $60 billion on transportation projects, and infrastructure advocates say the amount is barely enough to maintain the nation’s roads and transit systems.
—Keith Laing, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
The United States spends more on health care than any country in the world, yet millions still face major barriers to accessing care.
—Crystal Cene, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Marty is self-absorbed, forgetful, doesn’t much like people and spends hours online looking for advice about how to be a handyman.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 28 Mar. 2026
The first two will be built in Finland while the company spends between $700 million to $1 billion to renovate the shipyards in the ports of Galveston and Port Arthur, Texas.
—Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spends
Verb
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Somebody who lives in Shawnee but commutes downtown for work, for example, pays the tax, and roughly half its revenue comes from people who live outside the city.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
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Whether the growth bet pays off or not, the interest rate math embedded in it may be the number Congress pays closest attention to.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But still, global supply is running well short of the roughly 104 million barrels per day the world consumes.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The average American consumes more than 200 pounds of meat annually, and that amount is growing.—
Andrew Zaleski,
The Atlantic,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Essential expenses rise, but the paper currency used to pay for them loses purchasing power.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The deeper the water, the sooner a vehicle loses traction on the road.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
An extension gives you more time to file, but not more time to pay, according to the IRS.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The concentrated, weightless formula gives full coverage with minimal product for the most natural-looking finish.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As the oil blockade quickly exhausts Cuba’s supply of fuel, triggering a series of lengthy, island-wide blackouts, many here are exhausted and are becoming increasingly vocal about their desire for fundamental changes in Cuba.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
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Board member Nicole Gribstad also urged the committee to include an option that delays such a decision and exhausts all other financial alternatives before closing schools.—
Molly Gibbs,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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War wastes innocent lives, trillions of dollars and time better spent on, for example, global climate change and the necessary global cooperation needed to address it.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
14 Mar. 2026
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This not only wastes money and product, but also exposes pollinators and other wildlife to unnecessary chemicals.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Track where sunlight falls throughout the day, note where wind picks up and confirm that water drains away from the area.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
-
What Sacks doesn’t get is that by financing and diplomatically supporting Israel, our country makes the crimes of the Israeli government possible, which stains America’s reputation in the world and drains our Treasury.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The microfiber absorbs five times its weight in water and dries in a snap.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Apr. 2026
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This buffer absorbs rate changes and unexpected costs without disrupting the rest of your budget.—
Fazila Shahid Lodhi,
Idaho Statesman,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spends. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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