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
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
The moon spends another day in Aquarius on July 3, bringing friends, community and your visions for the future into focus.
—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
3 July 2026
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.
—
Bestreviews,
Mercury News,
2 July 2026
The United States spends a lot on healthcare — both in terms of total and per capita expenditures and patient out-of-pocket costs — but gets comparatively poor returns on its investment.
—
Joshua P. Cohen,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
The bank spends 15% of its annual income on housing grants, said spokesperson Kylie Mergen.
—
Courtney Bell,
Oklahoma Voice,
1 July 2026
As of 2026, Vacaville spends 67% of its general fund on the Police and Fire Departments combined.
—
Steve Large,
CBS News,
26 June 2026
Nina, a social worker in her 40s, spends long stretches of the summer at her parents’ second home with her husband and young son.
—
Lucy Boyle,
Curbed,
26 June 2026
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
The moon spends another day in Aquarius on July 3, bringing friends, community and your visions for the future into focus.
—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
3 July 2026
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.
—
Bestreviews,
Mercury News,
2 July 2026
The United States spends a lot on healthcare — both in terms of total and per capita expenditures and patient out-of-pocket costs — but gets comparatively poor returns on its investment.
—
Joshua P. Cohen,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
The bank spends 15% of its annual income on housing grants, said spokesperson Kylie Mergen.
—
Courtney Bell,
Oklahoma Voice,
1 July 2026
As of 2026, Vacaville spends 67% of its general fund on the Police and Fire Departments combined.
—
Steve Large,
CBS News,
26 June 2026
Nina, a social worker in her 40s, spends long stretches of the summer at her parents’ second home with her husband and young son.
—
Lucy Boyle,
Curbed,
26 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spends
Verb
-
The separation agreement pays Molinar a year of her salary plus other benefits, Geren said.
-
Who benefits and who pays for AI progress is a legitimate debate.
Verb
-
Yet a cannabis marketer who consumes — or, just as notably, one who doesn’t — often finds their professional credibility subjected to a level of scrutiny that has no real parallel elsewhere.
-
One early target is underground mine ventilation, which consumes a significant share of electricity at subsurface operations.
Verb
-
The deeper the water, the sooner a vehicle loses traction on the road.
-
And the company doing the genuine, expensive work of transition loses the one advantage the label was meant to confer, cheaper capital and patient shareholders who believe the plan.
Verb
-
Refine a portfolio piece, build a small prototype, or share a draft with someone who gives honest notes.
-
The softened felt gives under his fingers, then holds, each adjustment staying a little longer than the last.
Verb
-
Watching this scene, and much of the film, exhausts me.
-
If the search for a large outdoor planter exhausts you—just get a terra-cotta planter.
Verb
-
This creates friction, wastes time, and increases exposure to identity fraud, despite the existing technology for digital credentials.
-
Beth wastes no time shutting down the conversation.
Verb
-
Make sure to empty any excess water that drains into the saucer to keep the roots from getting soggy.
-
If a demanding day drains you, take a short break before making a purchase.
Verb
-
Often, firming lotions are thick and leave a white cast, but this Olay option, which more than 30,000 buyers have picked up in the past month alone, is lightweight, non-greasy, and absorbs quickly.
-
As artificial intelligence rapidly absorbs routine coding, research, analysis, and administrative tasks, many of the entry-level roles that once introduced young people to professional life are being transformed.
Cite this Entry
“Spends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spends. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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