expense
gb/ɪkspˈɛns/ us/ɪkspˈɛns/
B1
English
~ 2000
költség, kiadás, pénzköltés, anyagi ráfordítás
NOUN
B1
1
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s expense(s)
The company covered all travel expenses for the conference.
A cég fedezte a konferenciával kapcsolatos összes utazási költséget.
We need to reduce our monthly expenses to save money.
Csökkentenünk kell a havi kiadásainkat, hogy pénzt tudjunk megtakarítani.
Her medical expenses were higher than expected this year.
The trip was worth the expense.
They keep a record of all business-related expenses.
Learner examples
I paid my own travel expenses.
Én fizettem a saját utazási költségeimet.
My living expenses are very high.
Nagyon magasak a megélhetési költségeim.
We must cut our expenses this month.
He wrote down each expense in a notebook.
Food is our biggest expense.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'expense' (money spent) with 'price' (cost to buy). 'Price' refers to what something costs, while 'expense' is the money you actually spend or have to spend.
Meaning
Money spent on something
Collocations
travel expenses
|living expenses
|medical expenses
|at someone's expense
|cut expenses
Synonyms
cost (A general term for the price of something, not always implying payment already made.)
|
expenditure (More formal; often used in business or government contexts for money spent.)
Antonyms
income (Refers to money received, which is the opposite of money spent.)
Themes
business
|daily life
|finance
|daily_life
Definition
Money you spend to buy something or to pay for a service.
An amount of money that is used to pay for a product, service, or activity.
NOUN
B2
FORMAL
2
pénzköltés
B1
Usage pattern:
the expense of [something]
The building was renovated at great expense.
Az épületet nagy költséggel újították fel.
He spared no expense in making the wedding perfect.
Semmi pénzt nem sajnált, hogy az esküvő tökéletes legyen.
At the expense of his own comfort, he helped the team succeed.
The project was completed at considerable expense to the company.
They went to the expense of hiring a famous chef.
Learner examples
We built the house at great expense.
Nagy költséggel építettük fel a házat.
She spared no expense for her son's party.
Nem sajnált semmi pénzt a fia bulijára.
They did it at the expense of their health.
The garden was made at considerable expense.
He went to the expense of buying new chairs.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'expense' here with 'cost' as a static number; in this sense, it focuses more on the process or effort involved in spending money.
Meaning
The act of spending money
Collocations
at great expense
|spare no expense
|at considerable expense
Synonyms
spending (A more everyday term for using money; less formal.)
Antonyms
saving (Keeping money instead of using it.)
Themes
business
|finance
|daily_life
Definition
The action of paying money for something.
The act or process of using money for a particular purpose.
Grammar
Dictionary form
expense
IPA
GB/ɪkspˈɛns/
US/ɪkspˈɛns/
Syllables & stress
ex - pense (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (pense)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: expense
- Plural: expense, expenses
Word family
Forms
expenses
noun
Core family
expensive
adjective A2
Related words
expensively
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
inexpensive
adjective B1
inexpensively
adverb
Advanced or less common
Expressions
at great expense
1/ˈæt ɡɹˈeɪt ɪkspˈɛns/
fixed phrase
With a lot of money spent
With a lot of money used or paid.
Examples
- The bridge was repaired at great expense.
- They moved into a new office at great expense.
at someone's expense
1/ˈæt sˈʌmwˌʌnz ɪkspˈɛns/
fixed phrase
Causing cost or harm to someone else
If something is done at someone's expense, it harms them or costs them money.
Examples
- He made a joke at her expense, and she didn’t laugh.
- The team won, but at the expense of several injured players.
go to the expense of
1/ɡˈoʊ tə ðə ɪkspˈɛns əv/
fixed phrase
Choose to spend money on something specific
To decide to spend money on something, especially when it is not necessary.
Examples
- We didn’t want to go to the expense of buying new furniture.
- She went to the expense of printing personalized invitations.
spare no expense
1/spˈɛɹ nˈoʊ ɪkspˈɛns/
idiom
Spend as much as needed
To spend a lot of money to get the best result possible.
Examples
- They spared no expense in decorating the hall for the wedding.
- The movie spared no expense on special effects.
spare no expense
2/spˈɛɹ nˈoʊ ɪkspˈɛns/
idiom
spend as much money as needed
To spend a lot of money and not try to save, in order to get the best result.
Examples
- They spared no expense on their wedding reception.
- The company spared no expense to impress their clients.
- Her parents spared no expense when it came to her education.