expend

verb

ex·​pend ik-ˈspend 

expended; expending; expends

transitive verb

1

: to pay out : spend

the social services upon which public revenue is expended

—J. A. Hobson

2

: to make use of for a specific purpose : utilize

projects on which they expended great energy

also : use up

expender noun

Synonyms

• disburse
• drop
• fork (over, out, or up)
• give
• lay out
• outlay
• pay
• shell out
• spend

Examples of expend in a Sentence

Are we willing to expend the time and resources required to solve the problem?

redecoration will have to wait, since we've just expended our last dollar in buying the house

Recent Examples on the Web

One of those blew up on its landing attempt while another was purposefully expended to get its payload to a higher orbital insertion. —Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2025

At around a quarter of a million dollars apiece, the boats cost less than an anti-ship missile and can be expended in kamikaze attacks. —David Hambling, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024

The exhibition revitalizes women who developed lethal tech, and whose stories deserve a dose of scrutiny, alongside those who expended great effort to experiment toward a more equal world. —Lua Vollaard, ARTnews.com, 27 Dec. 2024

The amount of calories burned while sleeping can be calculated by first determining the number of calories expended per hour of the day. —Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 16 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin expendere to weigh out, expend, from ex- + pendere to weigh — more at spin

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

expend

verb

ex·​pend ik-ˈspend 

1

: to pay out : spend

expend state funds

2

: use up

expend energy