spend

verb

ˈspend 

spent ˈspent  ; spending

transitive verb

1

: to use up or pay out : expend

2

a

: exhaust, wear out

the hurricane gradually spent itself

b

: to consume wastefully : squander

the waters are not ours to spend

—J. R. Ellis

3

: to cause or permit to elapse : pass

spend the night

4

: give up, sacrifice

intransitive verb

1

: to expend or waste wealth or strength

2

: to become expended or consumed

3

: to have an orgasm

spendable

ˈspen-də-bəl 

adjective

spender noun

Synonyms

• disburse
• drop
• expend
• fork (over, out, or up)
• give
• lay out
• outlay
• pay
• shell out

Examples of spend in a Sentence

I spent $30 on his birthday gift.

They spend a lot on clothes and cars.

I want to buy a new car, but I don't have much money to spend.

Her willingness to spend freely made her popular among her friends.

He spends lavishly on vacations.

I spent my summer at the beach.

She spent eight months living in New York City.

Relaxing with friends is a great way to spend a weekend.

Our cat spends most of his time sleeping.

Too much of my time is spent arguing with customers.

Recent Examples on the Web

For more than a decade, my husband and I have relished the holiday — New York City’s kick-off to summer — as a quiet long weekend spent at home in Brooklyn, walking our dogs, grilling, maybe taking a drive through an unusually tranquil Central Park or nabbing a reservation at the latest hot table. —Laura Ratliff, Travel + Leisure, 22 June 2024

Gardner and Hemingway spent a lot of time together in his home in Havana, Cuba. —Stephanie Kaloi, Peoplemag, 22 June 2024

The Town has spent over $150,000, and counting, in boarding and legal fees to continue to fight these impractical and unjustifiable cases. —Ed Stannard, Hartford Courant, 22 June 2024

The additional sales tax — an increase of a penny for every $2 spent in taxable goods — would generate $5.5 to $6.5 million a year, city staff say. —Judith Prieve, The Mercury News, 22 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English -spendan, from Medieval Latin expendere to disburse, use up, from Latin, to measure by weight, pay out — more at expend

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing spend

• spend/stay the night
• spend the night
• spend the night together
• spend the night with (someone)

Kids Definition

spend

verb

ˈspend 

spent ˈspent  ; spending

1

: to pay out : expend

2

: to cause or allow (as time) to pass

spent the day with friends

3

a

: exhaust entry 1 sense 1, wear out

b

: to use wastefully : squander

spender noun