outlays 1 of 2

noun

plural of outlay
as in expenses
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

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outlays

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of outlay
as in spends
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

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 outlays
Noun
Net operating income is struck before the large, irregular outlays that keep a building standing, so the cap rate reflects none of them. — Tony Julianelle, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026 According to an analysis by the Washington Post, these outlays have over the years amounted to thirty-eight billion dollars. — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 8 June 2026 For all the breakneck user growth, though, the microdrama business has yet to prove broadly profitable, with heavy outlays on content and marketing weighing on many operators. — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2026 City’s financial situation is always considered very healthy, of course, and their spending across the past few windows had been supported by years of making money from academy prospects and relatively low outlays. — Sam Lee, New York Times, 2 June 2026 The total cost for the parade plus related preparations and cleanup will likely surpass $2 million, based on outlays for previous events, with private sponsors sometimes partially covering expenses. — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 18 June 2026 But that would depend on the size of the Jaquez extension, combined with what other salary the Heat takes on during the next 13 months — potentially including outlays to a first-round pick next month and another in June 2027. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 9 June 2026 With the four big AI spenders forecasting as much as $725 billion in capital expenditures this year, and even more expected in 2027, the outlays are sucking up a larger proportion of free cash flow and prompting them to take on more debt. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 18 June 2026 Indeed, OpenAI is mulling slashing prices, the Journal reported, while some customers are only using highly capable models for complex tasks, relying on cheaper open-source ones for most functions, saving up to 95% on outlays. — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 12 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outlays
  1. expenses
  2. spends
  3. costs
  4. pays
  5. expenditures
Noun
  • Seeking to close a $12 billion budget shortfall last year, the governor hoped to cut over $750 million from the state’s payroll expenses in salaries and wages.
    — William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026
  • Campaign funds may be used to pay for a candidate’s childcare expenses that are incurred as a direct result of campaign activities, according to the Federal Election Commission.
    — Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 30 June 2026
Definition of expenses
Verb
  • The amount a farmer spends on fertilizer is a small fraction of the total cost to grow food and get it to grocery store shelves.
    — Joe Hernandez, NPR, 3 July 2026
  • Pz’ spends much of his proper debut, No Turning Back, equally baffled by his good fortune and ready to fasten it to his side with a Gucci strap before anyone else can take it.
    — Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 3 July 2026
Definition of spends
Noun
  • Trump tied this regular seasonal sale to his claims that his administration lowered costs for consumers, from gas prices to eggs.
    — Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
  • Be sure to weigh costs, storage needs and risk tolerance before making a decision.
    — USA TODAY, USA Today, 7 July 2026
Definition of costs
Verb
  • Currently, a person who earns $184,500 per year pays the same amount in annual Social Security taxes as a person who earns $5 million per year.
    — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2026
  • The Goalkeeper’s Hands The keeper is the only player allowed to use their hands, and pays for it up top.
    — Dr. Tal Patalon, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of pays
Noun
  • The company plans to invest $11 billion globally in capital expenditures and research and development between 2025 and 2028, with a focus on technologies that support electrification and the energy transition.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
  • American Mission’s ads are independent expenditures, so the political committee cannot legally coordinate with the campaign or get Donalds’ approval.
    — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026
Definition of expenditures

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outlaying
outlays
outlet
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Cite this Entry

“Outlays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outlays. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on outlays

Nglish: Translation of outlays for Spanish Speakers

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