indirect cost
noun
: a cost that is not identifiable with a specific product, function, or activity
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Here’s what attracts executive interest: Quicker access to talent; a larger talent pool than locally available; greater cost control versus full-time employment; and direct and indirect cost savings. 
Jon Younger, Forbes, 10 Aug. 2022 Fundamentally, this means that a cost may not be allocated as an indirect cost to a final cost objective if other costs incurred for the same purpose have been included as direct costs of that or any other cost objective. Jennifer Eubanks, Forbes, 19 July 2022 This can add $50 per hour of indirect cost to the musician, or the musician spent thousands of dollars building their own space in the past. Chris Erhardt, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2022 The indirect cost to students and the quality of our education system remains uncounted. Derek Newton, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2021 Regardless of how small the measurable, direct impact of additional flights caused by loyalty programs, their indirect cost is high. Seth Kugel, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2020 The ambassadors’ cherry-picking method—to focus solely on deaths of service members and line-item budget costs—is to ignore the considerable indirect costs of war, costs that can’t be wished away. Adam Wunische, The New Republic, 27 Sep. 2019 While Trump on Thursday continued to insist China was paying the cost of his tariffs, CEOs have in earnings calls over the last few weeks repeatedly detailed the rising direct and indirect costs to their businesses. Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2019 The special counsel's office has incurred direct and indirect costs totaling $25.2 million through Sept. 30, 2018, according to expenditure reports. NBC News, 25 July 2019 See More
Jon Younger, Forbes, 10 Aug. 2022 Fundamentally, this means that a cost may not be allocated as an indirect cost to a final cost objective if other costs incurred for the same purpose have been included as direct costs of that or any other cost objective. Jennifer Eubanks, Forbes, 19 July 2022 This can add $50 per hour of indirect cost to the musician, or the musician spent thousands of dollars building their own space in the past. Chris Erhardt, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2022 The indirect cost to students and the quality of our education system remains uncounted. Derek Newton, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2021 Regardless of how small the measurable, direct impact of additional flights caused by loyalty programs, their indirect cost is high. Seth Kugel, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2020 The ambassadors’ cherry-picking method—to focus solely on deaths of service members and line-item budget costs—is to ignore the considerable indirect costs of war, costs that can’t be wished away. Adam Wunische, The New Republic, 27 Sep. 2019 While Trump on Thursday continued to insist China was paying the cost of his tariffs, CEOs have in earnings calls over the last few weeks repeatedly detailed the rising direct and indirect costs to their businesses. Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2019 The special counsel's office has incurred direct and indirect costs totaling $25.2 million through Sept. 30, 2018, according to expenditure reports. NBC News, 25 July 2019 See More Word History
First Known Use
circa 1909, in the meaning defined above