expense

1 of 2

noun

ex·​pense ik-ˈspen(t)s How to pronounce expense (audio)
1
a
: financial burden or outlay : cost
built the monument at their own expense
b
: an item of business outlay chargeable against revenue for a specific period
c
: something expended to secure a benefit or bring about a result
2
: a cause or occasion of expenditure
an estate is a great expense
3
: a loss, detriment, or embarrassment that results from some action or gain : sacrifice
everyone had a good laugh at my expense
usually used in the phrase at the expense of
develop a boy's physique at the expense of his intelligenceBertrand Russell
4
archaic : the act or an instance of expending : expenditure

expense

2 of 2

verb

expensed; expensing

transitive verb

1
a
: to charge to an expense account
b
: to write off as an expense
2
: to charge with expenses

Examples of expense in a Sentence

Noun I don't think a first-class ticket is worth the added expense. The annual fee is simply an expense of doing business. A new car is a major expense.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The Women's Cancer Fund raised $18.3 million by vowing to help patients, telling donors that their money would help pay the living expenses of women going through treatment for the disease. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2024 Gainer was 'super intelligent, kind' According to a GoFundMe fundraiser set up to help Gainer's family pay for funeral expenses, the teen was active in the community. Brian Day, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024 Skip ahead The finances The diet The expenses The diary The finances What are your pronouns? Bon Appétit Contributor, Bon Appétit, 22 Mar. 2024 Dozens of pages of Cox’s income and expense records filed by Fine show Cox receiving and repaying at significantly higher amounts what appear to be loans from such firms as Last Chance Funding, High Speed Capital and On Deck Capital. Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2024 When an employee leaves Health Carousel before completing their contract, the company charges them typically between $20,000 to $30,000 to reimburse for expenses. The Enquirer, 21 Mar. 2024 Dawan, 72, and Islam defrauded the IRS by failing to include all taxable income, including unapproved bonuses and improperly reimbursed expenses to Islam, from about 2011 to 2018. Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2024 This fund offers financial resources to women enrolled in undergraduate tech programs, assisting with expenses that may hinder their education. Ebony Flake, Essence, 20 Mar. 2024 The judge just recently awarded Workman and her law partners more than $6 million in attorneys fees and legal expenses, on top of the award to their client. Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2024
Verb
Fitzpatrick, the insurance executive, was able to expense his ticket for a business meeting. Noah Bierman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 There’s also confusion about which training providers should qualify, which expenses the scholarships could cover and what value students should receive from the money. Patrick O'Donnell, The Indianapolis Star, 25 Jan. 2024 Politics San Diego faces a $167 million budget deficit as revenues shrink and expenses rise Feb. 28, 2024 Friday’s pension board meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. at the downtown headquarters of the pension system, the San Diego City Employees Retirement System. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2024 Though the funding logjam might feel far removed from most people’s daily lives, every time Congress careens toward a partial government closure, expenses that Americans care about – from Social Security checks to travel costs – are threatened. Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2024 Tier members will have a chance to sign up and qualify for access to the show with hotel accommodation and a voucher towards travel and expenses through drops on the app. Fielding Buck, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 Citi told the tribunal the issue had not been the value of the meals Fekete expensed, but that claiming meals for a partner breached its expenses policy — which does not allow expensing meals for spouses — and that Fekete had not been honest when given the opportunity. Anna Cooban, CNN, 17 Oct. 2023 The business expenses Along with paying and training workers, coffee shop owners must keep the lights on — literally. Emily Wright, Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2023 The maximum credit allowed for adoptions for tax year 2024 is the amount of qualified adoption expenses up to $16,810, an increase from $15,950 in 2023. Rachel Schilke, Washington Examiner, 9 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'expense.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Late Latin; Anglo-French, from Late Latin expensa, from Latin, feminine of expensus, past participle of expendere

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Verb

circa 1909, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of expense was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near expense

Cite this Entry

“Expense.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expense. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

expense

noun
ex·​pense
ik-ˈspen(t)s
1
: something spent or required to be spent : cost
2
: a cause of spending
a car is a great expense

Legal Definition

expense

1 of 2 noun
ex·​pense
: financial burden or outlay
specifically : an item of business outlay chargeable against revenue for a specific period
business expense
: an expense made in furtherance of one's business especially as part of the cost of operating a business in the taxable year in which the expense is incurred compare capital expense and personal expense in this entry

Note: Business expenses are generally tax deductible in the year the expense is incurred.

capital expense
: an expense made in a business that will provide a long-term benefit : capital expenditure

Note: Capital expenses are not tax deductible as business expenses but may be used for depreciation or amortization.

moving expense
: an expense incurred in changing one's residence that is tax deductible if incurred for business reasons (as when one's job requires relocation)
ordinary and necessary expense
: an expense that is normal or customary and helpful and appropriate for the operation of a particular business or trade and that is made during the taxable year

called also ordinary and necessary business expense

Note: Ordinary and necessary expenses are tax deductible.

personal expense
: an expense incurred in the course of one's personal affairs as distinguished from the course of one's employment or the operation of a business compare business expense in this entry

Note: Personal expenses are usually not tax deductible.

expense

2 of 2 transitive verb
expensed; expensing
1
: to charge with expenses
2
: to write off as an expense

More from Merriam-Webster on expense

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