- [countable, uncountable] the amount of money that you need in order to buy, make or do something
- cost of something the high/low cost of housing
- at a cost of something A new computer system has been installed at a cost of £80 000.
- You could buy a used car at a fraction of the cost of a new one.
- We did not even make enough money to cover the cost of the food.
- Consumers will have to bear the full cost of these pay increases.
- The plan had to be abandoned on grounds of cost.
- cost to somebody The total cost to you (= the amount you have to pay) is £3 000.
- cost for somebody/something Energy is a major cost for businesses.
- She estimates the cost for this project at $150 000.
Synonyms pricepricecost ▪ value ▪ expense ▪ worthThese words all refer to the amount of money that you have to pay for something.price the amount of money that you have to pay for an item or service:- house prices
- How much are these? They don’t have a price on them.
- I can’t afford it at that price.
- A new computer system has been installed at a cost of £80 000.
- The winner will receive a prize to the value of £1 000.
- The garden was transformed at great expense.
- Running a car is a big expense.
- He has a personal net worth of $10 million.
- the high price/cost/value
- the real/true price/cost/value/worth
- to put/set a price/value on something
- to increase/reduce the price/cost/value/expense
- to raise/double/lower the price/cost/value
- to cut the price/cost
Extra ExamplesTopics Moneya1- A total of 3.6 million tickets at an average cost of $58 are available for the Games.
- Allow €100 per day to cover the cost of meals.
- Competition will drive the price down near to the marginal cost.
- Contractors can now be required to carry the cost of delays.
- Delegates receive allowances to meet the cost of travel.
- I would put the cost of a new employee at $80 000 a year.
- It is essential that we operate with the lowest possible cost base and most efficient facilities.
- Now people can access the internet at minimal cost.
- She was unwilling to pay the extra cost to get a room to herself.
- The corporation will pay all costs and expenses incurred with its written consent.
- The cost of dental treatment is increasing.
- The cost of repairs would be prohibitive.
- The cost to the government will be quite high.
- The entire project carries a cost of $2 million.
- The high cost of energy was a problem for consumers.
- The hotel offers tea and coffee at no extra cost.
- There were cost overruns on each project.
- We're hoping that we'll at least cover costs at the conference.
- What is the current replacement cost of these assets?
- You can spread the cost of your loan repayment over 10 years.
- You will have to bear the full cost of the building work.
- the cost per day for an electrician
- the pursuit of cost reduction
- The true cost of running a car is much greater than just the price of the petrol you use.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- considerable
- high
- enormous
- …
- carry
- have
- bear
- …
- escalate
- go up
- increase
- …
- reduction
- savings
- increase
- …
- at a cost of
- cost to
- an increase in cost
- a reduction in cost
- at great cost
- …
- costs[plural] the total amount of money that needs to be spent by a business
- The use of cheap labour helped to keep costs down.
- Reducing costs means we can keep prices as low as possible.
- We have to find new ways of cutting costs.
- The company is focused on lowering its operating costs.
- We have had to raise our prices because of rising costs.
- Opinion was divided on the potential costs and benefits of the scheme.
Synonyms costscostsspending ▪ expenditure ▪ expenses ▪ overheads ▪ outlay These are all words for money spent by a government, an organization or a person.costs the total amount of money that needs to be spent by a business:- labour/production costs
- rising costs
- public spending
- More spending on health was promised.
- expenditure on education
- legal expenses
- travel expenses
- High overheads mean small profit margins.
- The best equipment is costly but is well worth the outlay.
- spending/expenditure/outlay on something
- high/low costs/spending/expenditure/expenses/overheads
- total costs/spending/expenditure/expenses/overheads/outlay
- capital costs/spending/expenditure/expenses/outlay
- household costs/spending/expenditure/expenses
- government/public/education/health costs/spending/expenditure
- to increase/reduce costs/spending/expenditure/expenses/overheads/the outlay
Collocations BusinessBusinessRunning a business- buy/acquire/own/sell a company/firm/franchise
- set up/establish/start/start up/launch a business/company
- run/operate a business/company/franchise
- head/run a firm/department/team
- make/secure/win/block a deal
- expand/grow/build the business
- boost/increase investment/spending/sales/turnover/earnings/exports/trade
- increase/expand production/output/sales
- boost/maximize production/productivity/efficiency/income/revenue/profit/profitability
- achieve/maintain/sustain growth/profitability
- cut/reduce/bring down/lower/slash costs/prices
- announce/impose/make cuts/cutbacks
- break into/enter/capture/dominate the market
- gain/grab/take/win/boost/lose market share
- find/build/create a market for something
- start/launch an advertising/a marketing campaign
- develop/launch/promote a product/website
- create/generate demand for your product
- attract/get/retain/help customers/clients
- drive/generate/boost/increase demand/sales
- beat/keep ahead of/out-think/outperform the competition
- meet/reach/exceed/miss sales targets
- draw up/set/present/agree/approve a budget
- keep to/balance/cut/reduce/slash the budget
- be/come in below/under/over/within budget
- generate income/revenue/profit/funds/business
- fund/finance a campaign/a venture/an expansion/spending/a deficit
- provide/raise/allocate capital/funds
- attract/encourage investment/investors
- recover/recoup costs/losses/an investment
- get/obtain/offer somebody/grant somebody credit/a loan
- apply for/raise/secure/arrange/provide finance
- lose business/trade/customers/sales/revenue
- accumulate/accrue/incur/run up debts
- suffer/sustain enormous/heavy/serious losses
- face cuts/a deficit/redundancy/bankruptcy
- file for/ (North American English) enter/avoid/escape bankruptcy
- (British English) go into administration/liquidation
- liquidate/wind up a company
- survive/weather a recession/downturn
- propose/seek/block/oppose a merger
- launch/make/accept/defeat a takeover bid
Extra ExamplesTopics Moneya2- The company's costs have risen over the last 5 years.
- the costs associated with buying and selling property
- The capital cost of these projects is some $100 million—then there'll be the operating costs.
- research and development costs
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- considerable
- enormous
- great
- …
- incur
- pay
- increase
- …
- be associated
- be involved
- escalate
- …
- [uncountable, singular] the effort, loss or damage that is involved in order to do or achieve something
- the cost of something the terrible cost of the war in death and suffering
- the environmental cost of nuclear power
- at the cost of something She saved him from the fire at the cost of her own life (= she died).
- at… cost Victory came at a high cost.
- at… cost in something They advanced a few hundred metres, but at a heavy cost in life.
- at (a) cost to something He worked non-stop for three months, at considerable cost to his health.
- cost in something I felt a need to please people, whatever the cost in time and energy.
Extra Examples- The victory was achieved at great cost to the country's infrastructure.
- The raid was foiled, but at a cost: an injured officer who was lucky to survive.
- The country has suffered the enormous cost of trade sanctions.
- Do the benefits outweigh the costs?
- the costs and benefits of this strategy
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- considerable
- enormous
- great
- …
- outweigh
- suffer
- count
- …
- at cost (to)
- at a cost (to)
- at the cost of
- …
- costs and benefits
- at all costs
- at any cost
- …
- costs(also court costs)[plural] the sum of money that somebody is ordered to pay for lawyers, etc. in a legal case
- He was ordered to pay £2 000 costs.
Extra ExamplesTopics Moneyc1- She was fined £200 and ordered to pay costs.
- Both sides incurred costs of over $50 000.
- If you win your case you will normally be awarded costs.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- court
- legal
- administrative
- …
- incur
- pay
- be awarded
- …
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French coust (noun), couster (verb), based on Latin constare ‘stand firm, stand at a price’.
Idioms
See cost in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee cost in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishat all cost/costs
- whatever is needed to achieve something
- You must stop the press from finding out at all costs.
at any cost
- under any circumstances
- He is determined to win at any cost.
at cost
- for only the amount of money that is needed to make or get something, without any profit being added on
- goods sold at cost
count the cost (of something)
- to feel the bad effects of a mistake, an accident, etc.
- The town is now counting the cost of its failure to provide adequate flood protection.
know/learn/find something to your cost
- to know something because of something unpleasant that has happened to you
- She is a tough competitor, as I know to my cost.
Check pronunciation:
cost