expend

verb

ik-ˈspend How to pronounce expend (audio)
Definition of expendnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of expend Pacific Legal argued this was part of the problem — a private group of unelected activists had repeatedly forced others to expend resources defending themselves. — Michael Phillis, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026 The first-stage booster made its 32nd and final flight as it was expended getting the payload to geosynchronous transfer orbit. — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026 Houston was content to slow the tempo, string together passes and force Sporting to expend energy trying to win the ball back. — Latif Love august 2, Kansas City Star, 2 Aug. 2026 Antiquing is usually a more expensive hobby, in part because of the time and effort that dealers have expended curating their items for sale. — Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for expend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expend
  1. spend
  2. consume
  3. pay
  4. drain
  5. exhaust
  6. absorb
Verb
  • Maurice Alexander, who had some impressive moments last summer and then spent the season on the practice squad, had three catches for 42 yards and a score.
    — Kevin Fishbain, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The statues of Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion, spend the better part of a decade behind closed shutters.
    — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of spend
Verb
  • On day two, one of the servers tells me earnestly that a bowl of vegetable soup, consumed properly, should take about half an hour to finish.
    — Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Lawns need to consume a minimal amount of nutrients in summer.
    — Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of consume
Verb
  • The settlement will be paid by Hyundai Mobis, Kia and local staffing and recruitment agencies that helped find and bring the immigrant workers to Georgia on temporary visas.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The records involve consulting work, paid for with public funds.
    — Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of pay
Verb
  • Avoid the temptation to drain your savings to make a larger down payment.
    — Deane Biermeier, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Defensiveness extends conversations, weakens credibility and drains emotional energy that could have been directed toward solving problems.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of drain
Verb
  • Travelers are exhausted by the friction of commercial travel.
    — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The performances were much needed for a team trying to avoid exhausting its pitching staff by October.
    — Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of exhaust
Verb
  • Traditional brokerages are now absorbing crypto as another asset class, integrating it into their platforms and driving down fees.
    — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The slaked lime is capable of absorbing CO₂ from the surrounding air.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of absorb

Browse Nearby Words

expels
expend
expended
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Cite this Entry

“Expend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expend. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on expend

Nglish: Translation of expend for Spanish Speakers

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