outlay

1 of 2

verb

out·​lay ˈau̇t-ˌlā How to pronounce outlay (audio)
ˌau̇t-ˈlā
outlaid ˈau̇t-ˌlād How to pronounce outlay (audio)
ˌau̇t-ˈlād
; outlaying

transitive verb

: to lay out (money) : expend

outlay

2 of 2

noun

out·​lay ˈau̇t-ˌlā How to pronounce outlay (audio)
1
: the act of expending
2
: expenditure, payment
outlays for national defense

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
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Verb
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 This is a huge win for builders who have to outlay a lot of capital to purchase land and are hesitant to get into warehouse space because of the additional CAPEX said Tim Sullivan, senior managing principal at Zonda, a nationwide data and media group. Jennifer Castenson, Forbes, 7 July 2021
Noun
These discontented countries are among those Washington needs on its side in order to effectively diversify global supply chains, as the economics of new investment only work if there is sufficient demand in critical industries to make the necessary outlays worthwhile. Daniel H. Rosen, Foreign Affairs, 17 Dec. 2024 While some retailers have made commitments to advance the purchasing of goods from overseas sources, this can be a large outlay of capital that may not turn into planned margins but instead may lead to overstocks or excessive markdowns. Shelley E. Kohan, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for outlay 

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1802, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1798, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of outlay was in 1798

Dictionary Entries Near outlay

Cite this Entry

“Outlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outlay. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

outlay

noun
out·​lay
ˈau̇t-ˌlā
1
: the act of spending
2
: an amount spent : payment

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