outlay

1 of 2

verb

out·​lay ˈau̇t-ˌlā How to pronounce outlay (audio)
ˌau̇t-ˈlā
outlaid ˈau̇t-ˌlād How to pronounce outlay (audio)
ˌau̇t-ˈlād
; outlaying

transitive verb

: to lay out (money) : expend

outlay

2 of 2

noun

out·​lay ˈau̇t-ˌlā How to pronounce outlay (audio)
1
: the act of expending
2
: expenditure, payment
outlays for national defense

Examples of outlay in a Sentence

Verb the nation had outlaid nearly 20 billion dollars on social programs at that point Noun The initial outlay for the program will be 2.4 million dollars. Maintaining a horse requires considerable outlay.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Linear ratings are in decline and ad demand has been muted for several quarters owing to economic unrest and changes in how Madison Avenue outlays its dollars for media. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024 This is a huge win for builders who have to outlay a lot of capital to purchase land and are hesitant to get into warehouse space because of the additional CAPEX said Tim Sullivan, senior managing principal at Zonda, a nationwide data and media group. Jennifer Castenson, Forbes, 7 July 2021
Noun
The result: with a much smaller outlay and a negligible gap in service, operators can make an existing boat much more profitable. New Atlas, 7 Sep. 2024 Some industry experts have questioned the outlays because so much of the investment is tied to expectations that generative AI — popularized by OpenAI’s ChatGPT — will lead to big revenue gains in the future. Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for outlay 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'outlay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1802, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1798, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of outlay was in 1798

Dictionary Entries Near outlay

Cite this Entry

“Outlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outlay. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

outlay

noun
out·​lay
ˈau̇t-ˌlā
1
: the act of spending
2
: an amount spent : payment

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