noun B1 Intermediate Common

expense

ihk-SPEHNS

Expense (noun) means Money spent on something; a cost. Example: “Travel is my biggest expense each month.”

noun

Money spent on something; a cost.

"Travel is my biggest expense each month."

"The company covers work-related expenses."

verb

To bill a cost to one's employer or business account.

"He expensed the client dinner to the company."

How to use expense

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA cost you pay, or the act of charging that cost to a business.

Easily confused with

expenditure →

Common pairings

living expenses at great expense expense account

Word forms

expensed past tense, expenses plural, expenses singular

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Travel is my biggest _____ each month.

Etymology

From Old French espense, from Late Latin expensa, related to Latin expendere — the same root as "expend."

Origin: Late Latin

Synonyms

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cost outlay expenditure charge outgoing disbursement

Related words

point level cost price tax attack bill charge

Rhymes for expense

tense sense dense incense immense offense intense license defense nonsense condense dispense

See all rhymes for expense →

Frequently asked questions

What does “expense” mean?

The word “expense” means money spent on something; a cost. In plain terms, a cost you pay, or the act of charging that cost to a business.

How do you pronounce “expense”?

“Expense” is pronounced ihk-SPEHNS (/ɪkˈspɛns/ in IPA).

How do you use “expense” in a sentence?

Here is “expense” used in a sentence: “Travel is my biggest expense each month.”

What part of speech is “expense”?

Depending on how it is used, “expense” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “expense” come from?

The word “expense” comes from Late Latin. From Old French espense, from Late Latin expensa, related to Latin expendere — the same root as "expend.".

Is “expense” a common word?

“Expense” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

How many meanings does “expense” have?

“Expense” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: money spent on something; a cost.

What is the difference between expense and cost?

Cost usually refers to the amount of money needed to buy or produce something, while expense often emphasises money that is paid out, especially in business or accounting. In practice they overlap, but "expenses" frequently describes ongoing outgoings such as travel or supplies.

What is the difference between expense and expenditure?

Both refer to money spent, but expenditure is more formal and often describes the total amount spent by an organisation or government, while expense usually refers to an individual cost. Expenses can also mean money reimbursed for work-related spending.

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