as in expense
a payment made in the course of achieving a result
the outlays for the couple's upcoming wedding seem to be multiplying at an incredible rate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to spend
to hand over or use up in payment
the nation had outlaid nearly 20 billion dollars on social programs at that point
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of outlay
Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
These sectors have also utilized a substantial portion of last year’s outlays.
—Ashutosh Joshi, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
With resources at a premium, now is the time to reassess products and services, perhaps remarket or rebrand and, most importantly, determine how best to outlay capital.
—Noelle Federico, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for outlay
Noun
Their outlay was an initial £80m on three incoming players, with £20m recouped through Guehi’s sale.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
These sectors have also utilized a substantial portion of last year’s outlays.
—Ashutosh Joshi, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
Linear ratings are in decline and ad demand has been muted for several quarters owing to economic unrest and changes in how Madison Avenue outlays its dollars for media.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
With resources at a premium, now is the time to reassess products and services, perhaps remarket or rebrand and, most importantly, determine how best to outlay capital.
—Noelle Federico, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for outlay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outlay
Noun
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Instead, the utility will be allowed to spread the expense recovery over an entire hunk of the Midwest.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
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Alphabet also said its research and development expenses went up by 42%, driven by compensation for AI talent and supporting Waymo.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Noun
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Syria, Saudi Arabia sign investment deals DAMASCUS, Syria -- Syria and Saudi Arabia signed multibillion-dollar investment agreements on Saturday, including a major telecommunications project, a low-cost joint airline and an international airport in northern Syria.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
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Analysts there predict a price war that could drive the cost of some weight-loss drugs down by as much as 90 percent in India – and possibly in other countries too.—
Ayushi Shah,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Noun
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This suggests that regardless of short-term stock fluctuations in software companies, the capital expenditure on the physical hardware and facilities required to run them is locked in, providing a floor for economic activity.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
9 Feb. 2026
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Stocks sold off last week as the latest quarterly reports from Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Amazon and Alphabet revealed stepped up capital expenditure plans that revived worries about the spending if AI fails to become profitable.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outlay. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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