1
as in to pay
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 to consume
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 to waste
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 spend
If, for example, a company spends £20m on a 10 per cent stake in Chelsea Women, then that will justify the £200m figure that has raised eyebrows.
—
Matt Slater, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025
Shawn, a 5-year-old terrier mix, has spent more than 1,400 days at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter in Wantagh, New York.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025
Tabor and Kummer spend many all-nighters analyzing and comparing vessels, ideas, designers, and shipyards.
—Kathleen Turner, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
As their name suggests, these tortoises spend most of their time in large burrows that are usually 15 feet long and 6.5 feet deep.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spend
Matt Slater, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025
Shawn, a 5-year-old terrier mix, has spent more than 1,400 days at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter in Wantagh, New York.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025
Tabor and Kummer spend many all-nighters analyzing and comparing vessels, ideas, designers, and shipyards.
—Kathleen Turner, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
As their name suggests, these tortoises spend most of their time in large burrows that are usually 15 feet long and 6.5 feet deep.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spend
Verb
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Still, the union is contending with a decrease in the share of workers who are willing to pay dues.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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Werner heard that one of her scholarships—which had been administered by the center—was being eliminated, sending her into a panic about how to pay for school.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Crews also conduct test burns before igniting a larger area, to verify how effectively fuels are consumed and how smoke will travel.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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Nor could the authors conclude definitively that the chimps were deliberately consuming ethanol-rich fruits and sharing it with their compatriots.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The airline will have to address not just decarbonization but also waste reduction and broader sustainability practices.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
19 Apr. 2025
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Beyond being a cool and effective way to store my stuff, my Cadence capsules have banished leaks and wasted suitcase space and minimized airport security stress.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Despite that, a growing number of companies do so voluntarily because the information gives them a leg up in the business world.—
Elizabeth Weise,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
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This is the Court that just last year gave us Trump v. United States, with its inflated concept of Presidential authority and extensive grant of Presidential immunity from criminal prosecution.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Payne drained a 3-pointer the next time down the floor to tie the game, 98-98.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 2025
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However, much of this rain will eventually still drain down across the lower Mississippi River Valley, keeping the Mississippi and other nearby rivers in the region elevated for at least the next several days.—
Kyle Reiman,
ABC News,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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For instance, one study found that after losing a spouse, people tended to neglect their health—eating less nutritiously, skipping meals, drinking more alcohol, moving less, and sleeping less.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
SELF,
15 Apr. 2025
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Survivors numbered 706, according to the History Channel; 1,500 people lost their lives.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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They will be exhausted after Grandma wrangling for 4 hours.—
Erin Clack,
People.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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Their lineup has not exhausted opposing pitching staffs for a full series in a manner that has been their trademark for years.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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This form of creatine is less bioavailable than creatine monohydrate, meaning your body doesn't absorb it as well.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
17 Apr. 2025
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Because when so many Americans are tightening grocery budgets, scaling back meals, and absorbing the daily drip of scarcity, a pass that promises a burger a day doesn’t feel indulgent.—
Stephanie Gravalese,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spend. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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