incur
gb/ɪŋkˈɚ/ us/ɪŋkˈɚ/
B2
English
~ 4300
elszenved, felmerül, magára von
VERB
B2
FORMAL
1
Usage pattern:
to incur [debt/cost/penalty/expense]
The company incurred heavy losses during the recession.
A vállalat súlyos veszteségeket szenvedett el a recesszió alatt.
He incurred a large fine for parking illegally.
Nagy bírságot kapott, mert szabálytalanul parkolt.
You may incur additional charges if you cancel the reservation late.
She incurred the anger of her colleagues by taking all the credit.
We incurred significant expenses while renovating the house.
Learner examples
I incurred a fee for returning the book late.
Díjat számítottak fel nekem, mert késve vittem vissza a könyvet.
She incurred extra costs when she changed her flight.
Többletköltségei merültek fel, amikor megváltoztatta a repülőjegyét.
They incurred a penalty for breaking the rules.
He incurred debt after losing his job.
We incurred expenses during our trip.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'incur' with 'occur'. 'Incur' means to cause yourself to receive something bad; 'occur' means something happens.
Meaning
Become subject to something bad
Collocations
incur a debt
|incur expenses
|incur a fine
|incur losses
|incur costs
Synonyms
sustain (Often used for suffering damage or loss, especially in formal contexts.)
|
bring upon oneself (More explicit about personal responsibility for the negative outcome.)
Antonyms
avoid (Means to keep away from or prevent something unpleasant from happening.)
Themes
business
|law
|finance
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To get something bad, like a cost or punishment, because of what you do.
To become subject to something undesirable, such as debt, cost, loss, or punishment, through one's own actions or behavior.
Grammar
Dictionary form
incur
IPA
GB/ɪŋkˈɚ/
US/ɪŋkˈɚ/
Syllables & stress
in - cur (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (cur)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: incur
- 3rd Person Singular: incurs
- Present Participle: incurring
- Past: incurred
Word family
Forms
incurs
verb
incurring
verb
incurred
verb
Advanced or less common
incurrence
noun
Highlights
- Irregular present participle: incurring Verb
- Irregular past: incurred Verb
Expressions
incur a penalty
1/ɪŋkˈɚ ə pˈɛnəlti/
fixed phrase
Receive an official punishment
To get a fine or other punishment because you broke a rule.
Examples
- The team incurred a penalty for having too many players on the field.
- Drivers who speed may incur a penalty.
incur costs
1/ɪŋkˈɚ kˈɔsts/
fixed phrase
Cause oneself to pay expenses
To have to pay money because of what you do.
Examples
- We will incur costs if we delay the project.
- The repairs incurred significant costs for the landlord.
incur someone's wrath
1/ɪŋkˈɚ sˈʌmwˌʌnz ɹˈæθ/
fixed phrase
formal
Cause someone's great anger
To make someone very angry because of what you do.
Examples
- She incurred her boss’s wrath by missing the deadline.
- They incurred the teacher’s wrath for cheating on the exam.
incur someone's wrath
2/ɪŋkˈɚ sˈʌmwˌʌnz ɹˈæθ/
fixed phrase
Make someone very angry at you
To make someone very angry with you.
Examples
- He incurred his manager's wrath by missing the deadline.
- Anyone who broke the rules would incur the wrath of the head teacher.