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
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy slashed crash reporting requirements and loosened safety requirements for test vehicles, giving the auto industry more room to experiment, though whether that's at the expense of public safety remains to be seen.
—
Emily Forlini, PC Magazine, 30 Apr. 2025
Far-right leaders prefer to work with like-minded counterparts to further their own interests, even at the expense of others.
—Margaret MacMillan, The Atlantic, 30 Apr. 2025
The new administration has shifted direction on energy strategy at the expense of the environment, skeptical that renewables will help meet our energy needs.
—Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Across Maryland and the nation, school boards and departments of education are increasingly absorbed in ideological initiatives and bureaucratic complexity, often at the expense of their most fundamental mission: to teach students how to read closely, write clearly and think critically.
—William P. Yeakel, Baltimore Sun, 28 Apr. 2025
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Emily Forlini, PC Magazine, 30 Apr. 2025
Far-right leaders prefer to work with like-minded counterparts to further their own interests, even at the expense of others.
—Margaret MacMillan, The Atlantic, 30 Apr. 2025
The new administration has shifted direction on energy strategy at the expense of the environment, skeptical that renewables will help meet our energy needs.
—Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Across Maryland and the nation, school boards and departments of education are increasingly absorbed in ideological initiatives and bureaucratic complexity, often at the expense of their most fundamental mission: to teach students how to read closely, write clearly and think critically.
—William P. Yeakel, Baltimore Sun, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at the expense of
Cite this Entry
“At the expense of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20the%20expense%20of. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
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