1
as in spends
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
2
as in consumes
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
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Recent Examples of expends
If the stalk is left alone, the plant expends energy creating seeds instead of new blooms.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026
This spiritual sequel to ‘Frankenstein’ is a romantic tale of obsession, possession and fantasy — adjectives that also apply to its filmmaker, Maggie Gyllenhaal, who expends massive quantities of energy jolting it to life.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
This upper stage of the rocket kicks in above 62 miles (100 kilometers), once the core stage expends all its propellant.
—Marcos Fernandez Tous, The Conversation, 4 Mar. 2026
The familiarity expends to the animation itself, courtesy of the prolific Titmouse studio.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 20 Feb. 2026
Targeting multiple muscle groups expends calories more efficiently.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 5 Feb. 2026
Virtually every cell on every branch of the tree of life expends a hefty chunk of its energy budget — in some cells, more than half — on maintaining a voltage across its membrane.
—Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 12 Jan. 2026
The places facing existential climate risks—especially those in the Deep South—are mostly in states that have long been considered politically uncompetitive, where neither party expends much effort or money to gain votes.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 10 Nov. 2025
China’s apparent surge in missile production comes as the US expends sophisticated defense systems in Ukraine and Israel, causing some ammunition shortages and sparking debate in Washington about how and where to deploy its high-end weapons.
—Tamara Qiblawi, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026
This spiritual sequel to ‘Frankenstein’ is a romantic tale of obsession, possession and fantasy — adjectives that also apply to its filmmaker, Maggie Gyllenhaal, who expends massive quantities of energy jolting it to life.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
This upper stage of the rocket kicks in above 62 miles (100 kilometers), once the core stage expends all its propellant.
—Marcos Fernandez Tous, The Conversation, 4 Mar. 2026
The familiarity expends to the animation itself, courtesy of the prolific Titmouse studio.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 20 Feb. 2026
Targeting multiple muscle groups expends calories more efficiently.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 5 Feb. 2026
Virtually every cell on every branch of the tree of life expends a hefty chunk of its energy budget — in some cells, more than half — on maintaining a voltage across its membrane.
—Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 12 Jan. 2026
The places facing existential climate risks—especially those in the Deep South—are mostly in states that have long been considered politically uncompetitive, where neither party expends much effort or money to gain votes.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 10 Nov. 2025
China’s apparent surge in missile production comes as the US expends sophisticated defense systems in Ukraine and Israel, causing some ammunition shortages and sparking debate in Washington about how and where to deploy its high-end weapons.
—Tamara Qiblawi, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expends
Verb
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His aversion to seeing the deficit widen further on the back of a bigger military bill highlights a phenomenon observed by historian Niall Ferguson, who has said any great power that spends more on debt servicing than on defense risks ceasing to be a great power.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
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Apart from these rare public appearances, the young girl spends her days at Lambrook private school.—
Séraphine Roger,
Vanity Fair,
2 May 2026
Verb
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The reason this is important, says Lab Group Manager for R&D Alok Warey, is because aerodynamic drag consumes a lot of battery energy in EVs—up to 50 percent.—
Kristin Shaw,
Popular Science,
30 Apr. 2026
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Put simply, food noise consumes your life.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Wells pays someone to mow her lawn.—
David A. Lieb,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
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The state’s Next Level Jobs program pays the tuition for students to take classes for high-demand jobs, Dulin said.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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If the search for a large outdoor planter exhausts you—just get a terra-cotta planter.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
6 Apr. 2026
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As the oil blockade quickly exhausts Cuba’s supply of fuel, triggering a series of lengthy, island-wide blackouts, many here are exhausted and are becoming increasingly vocal about their desire for fundamental changes in Cuba.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Bargain-bin potting mix often drains poorly or contains few nutrients to begin with.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
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On the other end, the cheapest bagged potting mix often drains too quickly or contains almost no nutrients to feed new roots.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The floor absorbs sound, and the only light shone from a hole at the top of the tent.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
1 May 2026
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Key Takeaways Chia seed water is a good source of soluble fiber, which can help lower cholesterol by reducing the amount your body absorbs.—
Mark Gurarie,
Verywell Health,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expends. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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