Synonyms for expense
Most common
All synonyms
Noun
1. Outlay — loss
cost, outlay, expenditure, charge, charre UK, payment, loss, detriment, price, disbursement
Other
Definitions
- n. 1
Loss.
Related words
- Word family
- expend expensive
- Phrases
- operating expense capital expense incidental expense
Forms
- Plural
- expenses → costs, outlays, expenditures, charges…
Choose the right word
The cost of a thing is whatever one surrenders or gives up for it, intentionally or unintentionally, or even unconsciously; expense is what is laid out by calculation or intention.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- loss Loss of health is more serious than loss of money.
- expenditure The budget does not allow for this expenditure.
- detriment How quickly to my detriment cruel Luck has changed!
- outlay The initial outlay is quite high, but it's sure to pay off.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| expense | falling | |
| loss | steady | |
| expenditure | falling | |
| detriment | falling | |
| outlay | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- cost1, loss1
- 5 letters
- price1
- 6 letters
- charge1, outlay2, charre
- 7 letters
- payment2
- 9 letters
- detriment3, disbursal
- 11 letters
- expenditure4
- 12 letters
- disbursement3
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (outlay2 = 2 syllables).