1
as in to spend
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to consume
to make complete use of
settlers had to be sure not to expend their supply of firewood before the end of the long winter
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of expend
Without one, a president will likely hesitate to expend limited resources on one threat at the expense of others, thereby ceding initiative or victory to an adversary.
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Mitch McConnell, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2024
Other critics complained that the department was expending disproportionate resources on the killing of a wealthy man.
—Maria Cramer, New York Times, 14 Dec. 2024
Moscow expended significant financial and political capital to keep Assad in power during the Syrian Civil War but its latest chapter in which rebel groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham seized Damascus has dealt a blow to Russia's geopolitical influence.
—Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
Targeting multiple muscle groups expends calories more efficiently.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for expend 
Mitch McConnell, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2024
Other critics complained that the department was expending disproportionate resources on the killing of a wealthy man.
—Maria Cramer, New York Times, 14 Dec. 2024
Moscow expended significant financial and political capital to keep Assad in power during the Syrian Civil War but its latest chapter in which rebel groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham seized Damascus has dealt a blow to Russia's geopolitical influence.
—Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
Targeting multiple muscle groups expends calories more efficiently.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for expend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expend
Verb
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In a series of Instagram stories, Emma posted family photos of Willis spending time with Mabel and Evelyn.Ashley Hume, Fox News, 1 Jan. 2025
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In fact, the U.S. spends much more in absolute and per capita terms on healthcare than any other nation.Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Freeman notes that Dominion Energy South Carolina recommends washing full loads with cold water, as water heating can represent up to 80% of the energy consumed during a wash cycle.Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2024
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Some TikTok users have also warned against consuming seed oils, citing a wide range of health risks.Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 26 Dec. 2024
Verb
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If the settlement gains final approval, participating colleges will directly pay D-1 athletes a revenue share reflecting media rights, ticket sales sponsorships and NIL.Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 22 Dec. 2024
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A lot of college football coaches probably paid it little attention, too.Blake Toppmeyer, The Tennessean, 22 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Introverts often expend extra energy to engage in social interactions, which can be draining.Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
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What follows is one of the most tonally bizarre and genuinely fun movies-about-movies ever made, touching on themes about the monstrosity of artistic genius while also letting Dafoe’s vampire be a diva who snatches a bat out of the air and drains it like a Capri Sun in front of the producers.Elle Carroll, Vulture, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
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But the chatter grew louder when FEMA exhausted its funds during Helene — which spurred a cash infusion from Congress after Milton struck — and it was discovered that one Florida staffer directed workers to skip homes with Trump signs.Lawrence Mower, Orlando Sentinel, 27 Dec. 2024
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Some of those who have been at the center of such debates seem visibly exhausted by the subject of female electability.Lisa Lerer, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
Verb
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As industrial agriculture rose in the 1920s, Big Cheese soon took over: Kraft Foods bought the Velveeta Company in 1927, and Borden absorbed the Monroe Cheese Company in 1929.David Levine, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Dec. 2024
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Panama’s Minister of Environment, Juan Carlos Navarro, explained his country is carbon-negative because its rainforests absorb more CO2 than its economy emits.Ken Silverstein, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near expend
Cite this Entry
“Expend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expend. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.
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