EXPEND Synonyms: 84 Similar and Opposite Words

expend

verb

ik-ˈspend

Definition of expend

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Verb

Robert spent the prior six years with Chicago, hitting 38 home runs and stealing 20 bases in 2023, his best season and lone All-Star appearance.

— Will Sammon, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
While higher earners had been spending more using credit cards, the institute said the gap across income classes began narrowing in May of this year.

— Alex Harring, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of spend

Verb

Participants are each given half a watermelon to eat in a specified time period, and they must be consumed down to the rind.

— Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
That figure assumes the vehicle consumes 100 watt-hours per mile and its solar panels deliver at least four kWh of usable energy to the battery during the day.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of consume

Verb

Google will pay an additional $190 million to Entergy for transmission system upgrades needed to serve the project.

— Sydney Sasser, Arkansas Online, 1 Sep. 2026
With consumers paying an average of $49,855 for new cars in July 2026, according to Cox Automotive's Kelley Blue Book, only nine major car brands averaged sale prices under $40,000 in the United States.

— Keith Laing, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of pay

Verb

In your audit, emergency reserves are separated from non-retirement assets because they should not ever be drained unless there is an emergency.

— Cicely Jones, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Then, crews from the Urban Search and Rescue team worked with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to drain the tank and help save the remaining bears from drowning, officials said.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of drain

Verb

Your eyes will thank you College students often fall asleep without removing their contacts, especially when exhausted from late-night studying or over-intoxicated from partying.

— Dr. Jill Grimes, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Qualifying members who exhaust their income protection will now be covered up until May 1, 2028, Gee said.

— Jackie Charniga, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of exhaust

Verb

Agricultural production technologies and weather forecasting capabilities have also improved substantially, all of which could help the market absorb part of the supply shocks.

— , CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
Margot has been absorbed with a new idea she’s discovered in her work and has even reached out to a scholar at NASA to discuss it.

— Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of absorb

Browse Nearby Words

expels

expend

expended

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Style

“Expend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expend. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of expend

verb

Example Sentences

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