expendable

1 of 2

adjective

ex·​pend·​able ik-ˈspen-də-bəl 

: that may be expended: such as

a

: normally used up or consumed in service

expendable supplies like pencils and paper

b

: more easily or economically replaced than rescued, salvaged, or protected

expendability

ik-ˌspen-də-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

expendable

2 of 2

noun

: one that is expendable

—usually used in plural

Examples of expendable in a Sentence

Adjective

employees whose jobs are considered expendable

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Its predecessors all splashed down off Florida, but SpaceX is now shifting returns to the West Coast to minimize the chance that chunks of Crew Dragon's expendable trunk could damage property or hurt people during reentry. —Mike Wall, Space.com, 4 Apr. 2025

Ukraine operates a mixed fleet of drone boats, and an attacking flotilla could include low-cost expendable USVs carrying explosives, others with missiles, and others with torpedoes, while still others might be carriers with FPVs. —David Hambling, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025

Noun

One expendable named Mickey (Robert Pattinson) is part of a mission to colonize a distant planet, under the authority of a sleazily predatory and demagogic politician, Kenneth Marshall (Mark Ruffalo). —Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2025

Once Mickey dies, the scientists simply print another version of the expendable to take his place. —Tim Lammers, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1805, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1942, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for expendable

• spendable
• amendable
• commendable
• dependable
• extendable
• undependable

Kids Definition

expendable

adjective

ex·​pend·​able

ik-ˈspen-də-bəl

: normally used up in service

expendable supplies like pencils and paper

expendability

-ˌspen-də-ˈbil-ət-ē

noun

expendable noun

expendably

-ˈspen-də-blē

adverb