1
as in to pay
to hand over or use up in payment
I always end up spending too much money at the mall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to consume
to make complete use of
the town has already spent its budget for snow removal, and it's only January
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to waste
to use up carelessly
spent all his energy on impractical schemes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spend
If, for example, a company spends £20m on a 10 per cent stake in Chelsea Women, then that will justify the £200m figure that has raised eyebrows.
—
Matt Slater, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025
Shawn, a 5-year-old terrier mix, has spent more than 1,400 days at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter in Wantagh, New York.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025
Tabor and Kummer spend many all-nighters analyzing and comparing vessels, ideas, designers, and shipyards.
—Kathleen Turner, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
As their name suggests, these tortoises spend most of their time in large burrows that are usually 15 feet long and 6.5 feet deep.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spend
Matt Slater, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025
Shawn, a 5-year-old terrier mix, has spent more than 1,400 days at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter in Wantagh, New York.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025
Tabor and Kummer spend many all-nighters analyzing and comparing vessels, ideas, designers, and shipyards.
—Kathleen Turner, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
As their name suggests, these tortoises spend most of their time in large burrows that are usually 15 feet long and 6.5 feet deep.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spend
Verb
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Werner heard that one of her scholarships—which had been administered by the center—was being eliminated, sending her into a panic about how to pay for school.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Federal investigators ultimately found that its officers use excessive force, discriminate against Black people, conduct stops and searches without probable cause, and arrest people purely for not having the money to pay fines.—
Topher Sanders,
ProPublica,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Melissa tells Shauna that, after learning about adult Natalie’s death on the grounds of Lottie’s doomed cult, she became consumed with guilt and paranoia; after all, her own wife doesn’t know that Melissa knew her mother, let alone probably witnessed her death.—
Abby Monteil,
Them.,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Early in his career, Ben Lively’s emotions consumed him.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The airline will have to address not just decarbonization but also waste reduction and broader sustainability practices.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
19 Apr. 2025
-
Beyond being a cool and effective way to store my stuff, my Cadence capsules have banished leaks and wasted suitcase space and minimized airport security stress.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Huang gave Bibb a white T-shirt and some twine and showed her how to tie the fabric into a sausage shape.—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2025
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But state lawmakers have been looking for ways to give citizens and communities more of a voice in the decisions, and are focusing efforts this spring on Senate Bill 78.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Payne drained a 3-pointer the next time down the floor to tie the game, 98-98.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 2025
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Stroll around and behold the sprawling gardens, luxurious poolside accommodations, spectacular ocean views and the fresh sea air and let the stress drain from your soul.—
Josh Max,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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For instance, one study found that after losing a spouse, people tended to neglect their health—eating less nutritiously, skipping meals, drinking more alcohol, moving less, and sleeping less.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
SELF,
15 Apr. 2025
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Here are three ways to lead with AI without losing yourself in the process.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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They will be exhausted after Grandma wrangling for 4 hours.—
Erin Clack,
People.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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Officers must make life-or-death decisions while exhausted, both physically and emotionally.—
Paul Vallas,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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This form of creatine is less bioavailable than creatine monohydrate, meaning your body doesn't absorb it as well.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
17 Apr. 2025
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Because when so many Americans are tightening grocery budgets, scaling back meals, and absorbing the daily drip of scarcity, a pass that promises a burger a day doesn’t feel indulgent.—
Stephanie Gravalese,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spend. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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