outlay 1 of 2

noun

ˈau̇t-ˌlā How to pronounce outlay (audio)
Definition of outlaynext
as in expense
a payment made in the course of achieving a result the outlays for the couple's upcoming wedding seem to be multiplying at an incredible rate

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outlay

2 of 2

verb

ˈau̇t-ˌlā How to pronounce outlay (audio)
as in to spend
to hand over or use up in payment the nation had outlaid nearly 20 billion dollars on social programs at that point

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 outlay
Noun
Environmental Protection Agency outlays dropped $20 billion (59%) because of lower clean-energy grant disbursements. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026 In 2025, 73 percent of federal outlays were on mandatory spending or interest payments, which are legally obligated to continue. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
Microsoft plans to outlay $4 billion in the next five years worldwide. — Paresh Dave, Wired News, 24 Dec. 2025 Vasquez then asked if the RDA had outlaid any money for LaPorte County for shoreline development. — Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for outlay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outlay
  1. expense
  2. spend
  3. cost
  4. pay
  5. expenditure
Noun
  • The Arkansas Medicaid program pays the premium and provides additional payments that reduce or eliminate enrollees' out-of-pocket expenses for medical care.
    — Nathan Ansell, Arkansas Online, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Yes, the Bengals landed right guard Dalton Risner near the end of last August, but finding a similar player this year would be unlikely, and Risner’s path to becoming a starter in 2025 came at the expense of early-season issues.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of expense
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
Noun
  • The cost of building Elston Howard Field, previously named Heritage Field, was $51 million, according to a 2011 report in The New York Times.
    — Sam Blum, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Oil prices and government borrowing costs climbed higher on Tuesday as traders’ hopes of a swift resolution to the US-Iran conflict fade.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of cost
Verb
  • Critics argue such arrangements force consumers to pay for surplus electricity, although Manga said such guarantees were necessary to secure financing for capital-intensive projects.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • For Medicare patients, doctors are paid an additional 6% of the drug’s average price for each infusion.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of pay
Noun
  • Before 2021, foreign aid financed roughly three-quarters of public expenditures.
    — Kara Fox, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • At issue might have been higher-than-expected marketing expenditures that rose by 212 million euros for World Cup promotions.
    — Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of expenditure

Browse Nearby Words

outlaws
outlay
outlaying
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Cite this Entry

“Outlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outlay. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of outlay for Spanish Speakers

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