expend
verb
ex·pend ik-ˈspend 
expended; expending; expends
transitive verb
1
: to pay out : spend
the social services upon which public revenue is expended
J. A. Hobson
J. A. Hobson2
: to make use of for a specific purpose : utilize
projects on which they expended great energy
also : use up
expender noun
Synonyms
- disburse
- drop
- fork (over, out, or up)
- give
- lay out
- outlay
- pay
- shell out
- spend
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Are we willing to expend the time and resources required to solve the problem? redecoration will have to wait, since we've just expended our last dollar in buying the house
Recent Examples on the Web In addition, Black professionals have to expend more effort to fit into the dominant cultural modality in the workplace, which is determined by traditional white culture. Gleb Tsipursky, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2022 You may be tempted to expend as much of your own resources as possible asserting yourself against them. Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2022 Sinema created a water advisory council earlier this month to discuss how to expend the $4 billion earmarked for drought and water programs. Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic, 16 Aug. 2022 This tendency to expend themselves unnecessarily can leave them stagnant and exhausted. Meghan Rose, Glamour, 11 Aug. 2022 The measure would allow the board to expend staff resources to study the funding San Bernardino County receives from the state. Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2022 Replacing workers is costly, given the time and resources companies expend interviewing and training new employees. Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 2 Aug. 2022 So animals such as crabs, clams and some zooplankton must expend more energy to create and maintain their shells and skeletons, Perotti says. Gina Rich, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2022 To expend less energy and carry fewer supplies, Nagler is paddling mostly at night. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 19 July 2022 See More
Gleb Tsipursky, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2022 You may be tempted to expend as much of your own resources as possible asserting yourself against them. Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2022 Sinema created a water advisory council earlier this month to discuss how to expend the $4 billion earmarked for drought and water programs. Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic, 16 Aug. 2022 This tendency to expend themselves unnecessarily can leave them stagnant and exhausted. Meghan Rose, Glamour, 11 Aug. 2022 The measure would allow the board to expend staff resources to study the funding San Bernardino County receives from the state. Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2022 Replacing workers is costly, given the time and resources companies expend interviewing and training new employees. Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 2 Aug. 2022 So animals such as crabs, clams and some zooplankton must expend more energy to create and maintain their shells and skeletons, Perotti says. Gina Rich, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2022 To expend less energy and carry fewer supplies, Nagler is paddling mostly at night. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 19 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Latin expendere to weigh out, expend, from ex- + pendere to weigh — more at spin
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
expend
verb
ex·pend ik-ˈspend
expended; expending
1
: to pay out : spend
2
: to use up
He expended a lot of energy.
expends
verb
1
as in spends
to hand over or use up in payment redecoration will have to wait, since we've just expended our last dollar in buying the house Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- spends
- pays
- gives
- disburses
- outlays
- shells out
- lays out
- wastes
- lavishes
- drops
- squanders
- forks (over, out, or up)
- rains
- dissipates
- runs through
- blows
- throws away
- fritters (away)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- saves
- acquires
- earns
- makes
- procures
- realizes
- secures
- wins
- hoards
- gains
- garners
- lays up
- caches
2
as in consumes
to make complete use of settlers had to be sure not to expend their supply of firewood before the end of the long winter Synonyms & Similar Words
- spends
- consumes
- drains
- exhausts
- absorbs
- reduces
- uses
- depletes
- burns
- eats
- devours
- wastes
- decreases
- empties
- plays out
- draws down
- uses up
- diminishes
- lowers
- weakens
- downsizes
- runs out of
- dwindles
- lessens
- undermines
- saps
- impoverishes
- squanders
- debilitates
- bankrupts
- disables
- cripples
- enfeebles
- lavishes
- abates
- blows
- dissipates
- de-escalates
- guzzles
- runs through
- dries up
- cleans (out)
- throws away
- misspends
- fritters (away)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- replaces
- increases
- renews
- augments
- enlarges
- enforces
- reinforces
- strengthens
- saves
- restores
- conserves
- repairs
- revives
- preserves
- bolsters
- fortifies
- reenforces
- rebuilds