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

2

: 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

Examples of expend in a Sentence

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

Congress should mandate that the Defense Department set minimum munitions stockpile levels and create a mechanism to restock automatically once munitions are sold or expended to balance supply and demand. —Thomas G. Mahnken, Foreign Affairs, 5 June 2024

Key Takeaways Everyday exercises like cleaning the house expend energy and burn calories, just like regular exercise. —Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 28 May 2024

In our experience, the sudden infusion of $30 million in external grant funding exposed a lack of community trust, and even mistrust, in our capacity to determine how to expend funds most meaningfully. —Dr. Paul H. Dworkin, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2024

More to the point, Joffe carries on about the fiscal imprudence of the Red Line while expending no ink on the economic support such transit would offer to the city of Baltimore. —Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 29 Mar. 2024

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 

1

: to pay out : spend

expend state funds

2

: use up

expend energy