outlay

1 of 2

verb

out·​lay ˈau̇t-ˌlā 

ˌau̇t-ˈlā

outlaid ˈau̇t-ˌlād 

ˌau̇t-ˈlād

; outlaying

transitive verb

: to lay out (money) : expend

outlay

2 of 2

noun

out·​lay ˈau̇t-ˌlā 

1

: the act of expending

2

: expenditure, payment

outlays for national defense

Synonyms

Verb

• disburse
• drop
• expend
• fork (over, out, or up)
• give
• lay out
• pay
• shell out
• spend

Noun

• charge
• cost
• disbursement
• expenditure
• expense
• outgo

Examples of outlay in a Sentence

Verb

the nation had outlaid nearly 20 billion dollars on social programs at that point

Noun

The initial outlay for the program will be 2.4 million dollars.

Maintaining a horse requires considerable outlay.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Vasquez then asked if the RDA had outlaid any money for LaPorte County for shoreline development. —Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025

Linear ratings are in decline and ad demand has been muted for several quarters owing to economic unrest and changes in how Madison Avenue outlays its dollars for media. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024

Noun

Other sports properties that traffic in high volumes of pharma bucks include the NBA, which accounts for 1.1% of the segment’s total outlay, or just shy of $56 million, MLB ($48.4 million), college football ($46.3 million) and men’s college basketball ($41.2 million). —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 28 Feb. 2025

Russia’s war economy is showing strains, with 10 percent inflation, sky-high interest rates and sputtering economic growth, despite gargantuan state defense outlays. —Paul Sonne, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1802, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1798, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for outlay

• airway
• allay
• archway
• array
• ashtray
• astray
• aue
• away
• ballet
• belay
• beltway
• beret

Kids Definition

outlay

noun

out·​lay

ˈau̇t-ˌlā

1

: the act of spending

2

: an amount spent : payment