- a particular payment of money; expenditure
- money needed for individual purchases; cost; charge
- (plural) incidental money spent in the performance of a job, commission, etc, usually reimbursed by an employer or allowable against tax
- something requiring money for its purchase or upkeep
- at the expense of ⇒ to the detriment of
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ex•pense /ɪkˈspɛns/USA pronunciation n.
See -pend-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- [uncountable] cost;
charge: Nine dollars for a complete dinner is a small expense. - [countable] a cause or occasion of spending: A car is a necessary expense.
- Businessexpenses, [plural]
- charges incurred esp. during a business assignment:used a credit card to pay his expenses.
- money paid as reimbursement for charges:salary and expenses.
- Idioms at the expense of, at the sacrifice of;
to the harm or detriment of:The landlord was interested in saving money at the expense of providing adequate heat. - at (someone's) expense:
- with someone paying:I flew to San Diego at the company's expense.
- causing someone to look or feel foolish:He felt confident enough to tell a joke at his own expense.
See -pend-.
ex•pense
(ik spens′),USA pronunciation n., v., -pensed, -pens•ing.
n.
v.t.
v.i.
ex•pense′less, adj.
n.
- cost or charge:the expense of a good meal.
- a cause or occasion of spending:A car can be a great expense.
- the act of expending;
expenditure. - Business expenses:
- charges incurred during a business assignment or trip.
- money paid as reimbursement for such charges:to receive a salary and expenses.
- Idioms at the expense of, at the sacrifice of;
to the detriment of:quantity at the expense of quality.
v.t.
- to charge or write off as an expense.
v.i.
- Bankingto be expensed.
- Late Latin expēnsa, noun, nominal use of feminine of expēnsus, past participle of expendere to expend
- Middle English 1350–1400
- 1. outlay, expenditure. See price.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
expense /ɪkˈspɛns/ n