- [uncountable] the money that you spend on something
- The garden was transformed at great expense.
- No expense was spared (= they spent as much money as was needed) to make the party a success.
- He's arranged everything, no expense spared.
- She always travels first-class regardless of expense.
- The results are well worth the expense.
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 Examples- We were taken out for a meal at the company's expense.
- It emerged that they had received free first-class travel at the taxpayer's expense.
- The bridge was built at public expense.
- They had to repair the damage at their own expense.
- Your monthly housing expense should not be greater than 28% of your income.
- The accommodation package includes admission to the golf course at no extra expense.
- She had to meet the expense herself.
- Net interest expense increased to $5.9 million from $4.1 million.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- considerable
- enormous
- great
- …
- go to
- incur
- involve
- …
- rise
- at somebody’s/something’s expense
- at… expense
- at taxpayer expense
- at taxpayers’ expense
- at the taxpayer’s expense
- …
Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
- [countable, usually singular] something that makes you spend money
- Running a car is a big expense.
- The company views its workers as an expense instead of an asset.
Extra Examples- Insurance is an ongoing expense.
- The real expense of the trip was the flights.
- Save the expense of calling out a plumber by learning some of the basics yourself.
- Meetings, and the time for them, are a considerable management expense.
- The process turned out to be a significant capital expense.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- big
- considerable
- major
- …
- expenses[plural] money spent in doing a particular job, or for a particular purpose
- living/medical/travel expenses
- legal/household expenses
- The company has cut operating expenses to their lowest levels in three years
- Can I give you something towards expenses?
- financial help to meet the expenses of an emergency
- The payments he gets barely cover his expenses.
- Property investors are entitled to offset the expenses incurred buying the property.
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
Extra ExamplesTopics Moneyb2- My expenses are constantly rising and my income stays the same.
- Medical expenses can be quite high if you are not insured.
- You can reduce your expenses by selling your old car at a good price.
- You can expect to receive compensation for all expenses arising out of the accident.
- We will recoup our expenses within 24 months.
- You will receive expense reimbursement for up to $5 000 for legal representation.
- Total employee expenses were up about 6%.
- Operating expenses rose by more than 23% last year.
- Look for a fund with low expenses.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- high
- low
- allowable
- …
- incur
- cover
- defray
- …
- arise from something
- arise out of something
- increase
- …
- expense account
- expenses claim
- expense report
- …
- on expenses
- all expenses paid
- spare no expense
- expenses[plural] money that you spend while you are working and that your employer will pay back to you later
- You can claim back your travelling/travel expenses.
- We paid their expenses, but nothing more.
- an all-expenses-paid trip
- on expenses (British English) to take a client out for a meal on expenses
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
Extra Examples- Relocated employees received grants towards incidental expenses like buying carpets.
- The guides are unpaid except for basic expenses.
- They are claiming expenses for travel and meals.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- high
- low
- allowable
- …
- incur
- cover
- defray
- …
- arise from something
- arise out of something
- increase
- …
- expense account
- expenses claim
- expense report
- …
- on expenses
- all expenses paid
- spare no expense
Word Originlate Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French, alteration of Old French espense, from late Latin expensa (pecunia) ‘(money) spent’, from Latin expendere ‘pay out’, from ex- ‘out’ + pendere ‘weigh, pay’.
Idioms
See expense in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee expense in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishat somebody’s expense
- paid for by somebody
- We were taken out for a meal at the company's expense.
- if you make a joke at somebody’s expense, you laugh at them and make them feel silly
at the expense of somebody/something
- with loss or damage to somebody/something
- He built up the business at the expense of his health.
- an education system that benefits the brightest children at the expense of everyone else
go to the expense of something/of doing something | go to a lot of, etc. expense
- to spend money on something
- They went to all the expense of redecorating the house and then they moved.
put somebody to the expense of something/of doing something | put somebody to a lot of, etc. expense
- to make somebody spend money on something
- Their visit put us to a lot of expense.
Check pronunciation:
expense