expenditure
noun
ex·pen·di·ture
ik-ˈspen-di-chər 
-də-ˌchu̇r,
-də-ˌt(y)u̇r
1
: the act or process of expending
an expenditure of energy
2
: something expended : disbursement, expense
Your income should exceed your expenditures.
Examples of expenditure in a Sentence
an increase in military expenditures
an increase in military expenditure
vast expenditures of time and effort
The energy expenditure was significant.
the expenditure of funds for the new school
The project will require an expenditure of effort on everyone's part.
Recent Examples on the Web
The McKinsey Global Institute has estimated that large European companies face an investment gap of $700 billion a year in R&D and capital expenditures compared to their US counterparts.
—
Jan Mischke, Fortune, 31 Dec. 2025
This might be about earnings or a big expenditure.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 31 Dec. 2025
And work is nearly complete on a detailed expenditure plan that would restrict how the money could be used.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Dec. 2025
Meta, Microsoft and Amazon, among others, have spent tens of billions in capital expenditures this year alone, and McKinsey & Company expects companies to invest nearly $7 trillion in data center infrastructure globally by 2030.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expenditure
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Jan Mischke, Fortune, 31 Dec. 2025
This might be about earnings or a big expenditure.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 31 Dec. 2025
And work is nearly complete on a detailed expenditure plan that would restrict how the money could be used.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Dec. 2025
Meta, Microsoft and Amazon, among others, have spent tens of billions in capital expenditures this year alone, and McKinsey & Company expects companies to invest nearly $7 trillion in data center infrastructure globally by 2030.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expenditure
Cite this Entry
“Expenditure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expenditure. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
expenditure
noun
ex·pen·di·ture
ik-ˈspen-di-chər
-də-ˌchu̇(ə)r
1
: the act of spending (as money, time, or energy)
2
: something that is spent
Legal Definition
expenditure
noun
ex·pen·di·ture
ik-ˈspen-di-chər, -ˌchu̇r
1
: the act or process of paying out
2
: something paid out see also capital expenditure
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