at the expense of

idiom

: in a way that harms (something or someone)

Malls flourished at the expense of small stores downtown.

He argues that the tax cut will benefit the rich at the expense of the poor.

Examples of at the expense of in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Although seeking money at the expense of other goals can take a toll on workers’ well-being, workers need to be cautious of employers who may attempt to exploit their passion for their work by paying less for more effort. —Jennifer Tosti-Kharas, The Conversation, 15 May 2024

In response, Bardella has railed against Macron, depicting his cabinet as globalist elites hidebound to the European Union’s dictates in Brussels, at the expense of French citizens. —TIME, 15 May 2024

But critics of the proposal say its passage would help homeowners at the expense of other Floridians. —Alyssa Johnson, Miami Herald, 9 May 2024

Costume designer Kaye Voyce doesn’t help matters with modern outfits that exaggerate personality characteristics at the expense of subtler individuality. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2024

This expansion has occurred at the expense of proximity, community, and the traditional activities of city life, such as local markets, walks, and urban nature. —Carlos Moreno, Fortune, 7 May 2024

Brady was also one of several speakers who made jokes at the expense of Aaron Hernandez, the former Patriots tight end who hanged himself in a prison cell in 2017 while serving a life sentence for first-degree murder. —Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2024

That transaction, even after the Skydance team agreed to add more cash to Paramount’s balance sheet, is seen as being too generous to controlling shareholder Shari Redstone at the expense of common shareholders. —Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 5 May 2024

Of special note are those who signed the recent Artist Rights Alliance open letter which called on tech platforms to employ AI in a responsible manner and not at the expense of recording artists and songwriters. —Dan Rys, Billboard, 2 May 2024