- 1[uncountable] the money that you spend on something The yard was landscaped at great expense. No expense was spared (= they spent as much money as was needed) to make the wedding perfect. He's arranged everything, no expense spared. She always travels first-class, regardless of expense. The results are well worth the expense. Thesaurusprice
- cost
- value
- expense
- worth
- price the amount of money that you have to pay for an item or a service:house prices These shoes don't have a price on them. I can't afford it at that price.
- cost the amount of money that you need in order to buy, make, or do something:A new computer system has been installed at a cost of $180,000.
- value how much something is worth in money or other goods for which it can be exchanged:Sports cars tend to hold their value well. Value can also mean how much something is worth compared with its price:This restaurant is an excellent value (= is worth the money it costs).
- The price is what someone asks you to pay for an item or service:to ask/charge a high price to ask/charge a high cost/value. Obtaining or achieving something may have a cost; the value of something is how much other people would be willing to pay for it:house prices the cost of changing jobs The house now has a market value of one million dollars.
- expense the money that you spend on something; something that makes you spend money:The garden was expanded at great expense. Owning a car is a major expense.
- worth the financial value of someone or something:He has a personal net worth of $10 million. Worth is more often used to mean the practical or moral value of something.
- 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
- 2[countable, usually singular] something that makes you spend money Having a car is a big expense.
- 3expenses [plural] money spent in doing a particular job, or for a particular purpose living/household/medical/legal, etc. expenses Can I give you something toward expenses? financial help to meet the expenses of an emergency The payments he gets barely cover his expenses. Thesauruscosts
- spending
- expenditure
- expenses
- overhead (costs)
- outlay
- costs the total amount of money that needs to be spent by a business:labor/production costs rising costs
- spending the amount of money that is spent, especially by a government or an organization:public spending The governor promised more spending on public health programs.
- expenditure (somewhat formal) an amount of money spent by a government, an organization, or a person:expenditure on education
- expenses money that has to be spent by a person or an organization; money that you spend while you are working, that your employer will pay back to you later:legal expenses travel expenses
- overhead (costs) the regular costs of running a business or organization, such as rent, electricity, and wages:High overhead means small profit margins.
- outlay the money that you have to spend in order to start a new business or project, or in order to save yourself money or time later:The best equipment is costly but is well worth the outlay.
- spending/expenditure/outlay on something
- high/low costs/spending/expenditure/expenses/overhead (costs)
- total costs/spending/expenditure/expenses/overhead (costs)/outlay
- capital costs/spending/expenditure/expenses/outlay
- household costs/spending/expenditure/expenses
- government/public/education/health costs/spending/expenditure
- to increase/reduce/bring down costs/spending/expenditure/expenses/overhead (costs)/the outlay
- 4expenses [plural] money that you spend while you are working that your employer will pay back to you later You can claim back your travel/entertainment expenses. an all-expenses-paid trip Thesauruscosts
- spending
- expenditure
- expenses
- overhead (costs)
- outlay
- costs the total amount of money that needs to be spent by a business:labor/production costs rising costs
- spending the amount of money that is spent, especially by a government or an organization:public spending The governor promised more spending on public health programs.
- expenditure (somewhat formal) an amount of money spent by a government, an organization, or a person:expenditure on education
- expenses money that has to be spent by a person or an organization; money that you spend while you are working, that your employer will pay back to you later:legal expenses travel expenses
- overhead (costs) the regular costs of running a business or organization, such as rent, electricity, and wages:High overhead means small profit margins.
- outlay the money that you have to spend in order to start a new business or project, or in order to save yourself money or time later:The best equipment is costly but is well worth the outlay.
- spending/expenditure/outlay on something
- high/low costs/spending/expenditure/expenses/overhead (costs)
- total costs/spending/expenditure/expenses/overhead (costs)/outlay
- capital costs/spending/expenditure/expenses/outlay
- household costs/spending/expenditure/expenses
- government/public/education/health costs/spending/expenditure
- to increase/reduce/bring down costs/spending/expenditure/expenses/overhead (costs)/the outlay
Idioms - 1paid for by someone We were taken out for dinner at the company's expense.
- 2if you make a joke at someone's expense, you laugh at them and make them feel silly
with loss or damage to someone or something He built up the business at the expense of his health. an education system that benefits bright children at the expense of those who are slower to learn
go to the expense of something/of doing something, go to a lot of, etc. expense jump to other results
put somebody to the expense of something/of doing something, put somebody to a lot of, etc. expense jump to other results
Check pronunciation: expense