cost
9 synonyms for cost, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To require the payment of a certain amount of money.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
come to
amount to
set you back
run to
be priced at
Synonyms by Meaning
1. verb
To require the payment of a certain amount of money.
“The repairs ended up costing far more than expected.”
How to use cost
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
at all costs
cost of living
cost someone dearly
Etymology
From Old French coster/couster, from Latin constare, "to stand together" or "to be settled at a price."
Full origin of cost →Frequently asked questions
What does “cost” mean?
The word “cost” means to require the payment of a certain amount of money. In plain terms, what you have to pay, lose, or give up to get or do something.
How do you pronounce “cost”?
“Cost” is pronounced kost (/kɔst/ in IPA).
How do you use “cost” in a sentence?
Here is “cost” used in a sentence: “The repairs ended up costing far more than expected.”
What part of speech is “cost”?
Depending on how it is used, “cost” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “cost” come from?
The word “cost” comes from Latin. From Old French coster/couster, from Latin constare, "to stand together" or "to be settled at a price.".
Is “cost” a common word?
“Cost” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “cost” have?
“Cost” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to require the payment of a certain amount of money.
What is the difference between cost and price?
Price is the amount a seller asks for something — the figure on the label. Cost is what you actually have to pay or give up to obtain it, and it can include more than money, such as time or effort. As a verb, 'to cost' means to require that payment from you.
Is the past tense of cost 'cost' or 'costed'?
For the money sense, it stays the same: the meal cost twenty pounds yesterday. 'Costed' is a separate business term meaning to estimate or calculate the cost of something in advance, as in 'the project was costed at a million pounds.' Mixing the two up is a very common mistake.
What is an example of cost used as a verb?
You use it whenever something requires payment: 'These trainers cost eighty pounds,' or 'Fixing the car will cost more than I expected.' It can also describe a non-money loss, as in 'that mistake cost him his job,' meaning it caused him to lose it.
What is the difference between cost and worth?
Cost is the money something requires you to pay. Worth is the value it holds for you, which may be higher or lower than that figure. A cheap tool can be worth a great deal if it saves hours of work, while an expensive one may not be worth the price.
Related words
at cost
cost and freight
cost avoidance
cost benefit analysis
cost center
cost centre
cost containment
cost control
cost cutting
cost objective
cost of business
cost of doing business
cost of living
cost of money
cost of sales
