at the expense of
idiom
: in a way that harms (something or someone)
Malls flourished at the expense of small stores downtown.
He argues that the tax cut will benefit the rich at the expense of the poor.
Examples of at the expense of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As social psychology researchers have found, our brains are wired for certainty and belonging—often at the expense of curiosity and nuance.
—
Margie Warrell, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
However, her visit to the U.S., the first from a European leader since Trump announced and suspended tariffs, has fueled rumors that Meloni could take an Italy-first agenda at the expense of a unified EU, although some experts have pushed back against these claims.
—Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 17 Apr. 2025
The company is looking at all sorts of mitigation plans, Ford said, though not at the expense of pulling back investments in future growth such as lowering research and development spending.
—Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025
But so is the destruction of Hamas, and critics have accused him of prioritizing the latter at the expense of the former, namely because that is also where the prime minister’s political interests lie.
—Alex Marquardt, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at the expense of
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Margie Warrell, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
However, her visit to the U.S., the first from a European leader since Trump announced and suspended tariffs, has fueled rumors that Meloni could take an Italy-first agenda at the expense of a unified EU, although some experts have pushed back against these claims.
—Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 17 Apr. 2025
The company is looking at all sorts of mitigation plans, Ford said, though not at the expense of pulling back investments in future growth such as lowering research and development spending.
—Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025
But so is the destruction of Hamas, and critics have accused him of prioritizing the latter at the expense of the former, namely because that is also where the prime minister’s political interests lie.
—Alex Marquardt, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at the expense of
Cite this Entry
“At the expense of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20the%20expense%20of. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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