1
as in pays
to hand over or use up in payment
I always end up spending too much money at the mall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in consumes
to make complete use of
the town has already spent its budget for snow removal, and it's only January
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in loses
to use up carelessly
spent all his energy on impractical schemes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spends
Whether or not a school-age child spends their school day on a screen shouldn’t be dependent on where mom or dad can find a job.
—
Abby McCloskey, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Rochester, for example, spends about 250,000 pounds ($330,000) a year on music, a substantial outlay for a provincial cathedral but less than some.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Lawmakers have also focused on ensuring the administration spends federal dollars as directed by Congress.
—Lisa Mascaro, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
The federal government typically spends about $60 billion on transportation projects, and infrastructure advocates say the amount is barely enough to maintain the nation’s roads and transit systems.
—Keith Laing, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
The United States spends more on health care than any country in the world, yet millions still face major barriers to accessing care.
—Crystal Cene, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Marty is self-absorbed, forgetful, doesn’t much like people and spends hours online looking for advice about how to be a handyman.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 28 Mar. 2026
The first two will be built in Finland while the company spends between $700 million to $1 billion to renovate the shipyards in the ports of Galveston and Port Arthur, Texas.
—Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026
Abby McCloskey, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Rochester, for example, spends about 250,000 pounds ($330,000) a year on music, a substantial outlay for a provincial cathedral but less than some.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Lawmakers have also focused on ensuring the administration spends federal dollars as directed by Congress.
—Lisa Mascaro, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
The federal government typically spends about $60 billion on transportation projects, and infrastructure advocates say the amount is barely enough to maintain the nation’s roads and transit systems.
—Keith Laing, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
The United States spends more on health care than any country in the world, yet millions still face major barriers to accessing care.
—Crystal Cene, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Marty is self-absorbed, forgetful, doesn’t much like people and spends hours online looking for advice about how to be a handyman.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 28 Mar. 2026
The first two will be built in Finland while the company spends between $700 million to $1 billion to renovate the shipyards in the ports of Galveston and Port Arthur, Texas.
—Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spends
Verb
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Austin also pays its top officials more money with a few notable exceptions.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
-
On average, the federal government pays roughly 70% of the total cost of the overarching Medicaid program in Idaho, which includes the expansion.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The average American consumes more than 200 pounds of meat annually, and that amount is growing.—
Andrew Zaleski,
The Atlantic,
30 Mar. 2026
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The increases hit Egypt hard given that its population of over 108 million people consumes $20 billion of oil products annually, including fuel used to operate power plants.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The deeper the water, the sooner a vehicle loses traction on the road.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Apr. 2026
-
When that function collapses and every joke is screened for loyalty, society loses one of its best safeguards against tribal conformity.—
Robert Lynch,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This kit gives you the tools to protect yourself and your loved ones — especially vulnerable groups like children, older adults, and those with chronic conditions.—
CBS LA Staff,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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Those are two key factors courts weigh in issuing TROs, after which a judge gives a fuller consideration as the legal process plays out.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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Board member Nicole Gribstad also urged the committee to include an option that delays such a decision and exhausts all other financial alternatives before closing schools.—
Molly Gibbs,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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War wastes innocent lives, trillions of dollars and time better spent on, for example, global climate change and the necessary global cooperation needed to address it.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
14 Mar. 2026
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This not only wastes money and product, but also exposes pollinators and other wildlife to unnecessary chemicals.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Track where sunlight falls throughout the day, note where wind picks up and confirm that water drains away from the area.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
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What Sacks doesn’t get is that by financing and diplomatically supporting Israel, our country makes the crimes of the Israeli government possible, which stains America’s reputation in the world and drains our Treasury.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Eggs Protein is more satiating than fat or carbohydrates, and your body absorbs protein from eggs particularly well, stimulating PYY and GLP-1, while suppressing ghrelin.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
3 Apr. 2026
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But the improvement may not last long as the American economy absorbs fallout from the Iran war and a surge in oil prices.—
Paul Wiseman,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spends. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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