1
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Freescape did not expend all its creativity designing the patented inflatable roof, saving plenty for the flexible lower floor plan.
—
New Atlas, 24 Jan. 2026
To see why, simply consider the $20 billion expended to make the purchases that presently have the FTC so up in arms.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Of course, this process can be taxing, and people only have so much effort and attention to expend.
—Jt Torres, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2026
And if this energy is used or leaks away, cells can replenish it by expending more of their chemical energy.
—Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for expend
New Atlas, 24 Jan. 2026
To see why, simply consider the $20 billion expended to make the purchases that presently have the FTC so up in arms.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Of course, this process can be taxing, and people only have so much effort and attention to expend.
—Jt Torres, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2026
And if this energy is used or leaks away, cells can replenish it by expending more of their chemical energy.
—Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for expend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expend
Verb
-
Harris, who spent part of his youth living on Navajo reservations where his mother was a teacher, took a Navajo Nation flag with him on the shuttle to raise awareness about issues faced by Native Americans.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The writer Michael Wolff, meanwhile — the only journalist to have written about spending extensive time with Epstein — appears in the files sharing a draft of a profile with Epstein, and thanking him for a pair of shoes.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Next, consumed by stress, Howell had a heart attack.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The Liquor Commission voted to amend Heinen’s Class G2 liquor license to allow customers to consume alcoholic beverages on its patio space, which is connected to the market’s cafe area through sliding doors.—
Carolyn Stein,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Judges in counties with the program have a list of OFR attorneys who can be contacted and paid through legislative appropriations, rather than through court funds.—
Raynee Howell,
Oklahoma Watch,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Anderson paid tribute to the assistant director Adam Somner, who died in 2024 at 57 from thyroid cancer.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Drain and reserve about 1/2 cup cooking water, and drain pasta.—
Martha Stewart,
Martha Stewart,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The Bulldogs drew up a play for Jake Heidbreder, who calmly drained an open 18-footer on the left baseline at the buzzer and was mobbed by students spilling out of the Save Mart Center stands.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
At some point, those fuel sources will be exhausted, no further energy will be naturally extracted from what remains within them, and those once-brilliant objects will fade away into darkness.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Feb. 2026
-
On Wednesday, more than 200 repair crews were at work in Kyiv to restore power, according to the Ukrainian Energy Ministry, which said that staff were exhausted and would be rotated.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Jim's stock market commentary , market analysis , stock pick breakdowns , and Club Members' Mailbag offer an MBA-caliber finance education that is easy to absorb and apply to your personal investing strategies.—
,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Yet its polarizing effect may be the key to its magnetism; even those who dislike it have certainly absorbed some of its fragrant dolorousness into their bones.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expend. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
