expense

/ɪkˈspens/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪkˈspens/ (ame, ipa) · /ik-ˈspen(t)s/ (ame, mw)

expense — noun

  • expensesingular
  • expensesplural

1. the financial cost, hours of work, or personal energy that someone devotes to ac

1.名詞B1
釋義

the financial cost, hours of work, or personal energy that someone devotes to achieving something

例句

Yael decorated her new apartment at great expense, buying furniture for every room.

collocation: at great expense

The local theatre spared no expense on the opening night, hiring a famous orchestra.

idiom: spare no expense

同義詞
  • cost

    Broader — cost can be price, effort, or consequence without the active-spending nuance of expense

  • outlay

    More formal and specific to money spent at the start of a project or investment

  • expenditure

    More formal than expense; often used in official budgets and reports

反義詞
  • saving

    Money kept rather than spent

  • profit

    Money gained after costs are subtracted

文法句型

at + (great/little/no) + expense

spare no expense

用法筆記

Always uncountable in this sense — no article before it. Frequently used in fixed phrases like 'at great/little/no expense' and 'spare no expense.'

常見錯誤

❌The expense of the trip were very high.
✅The expense of the trip was very high.
💡'Expense' is uncountable here, so use a singular verb.
❌I spared no expenses on the wedding.
✅I spared no expense on the wedding.
💡The idiom is 'spare no expense' (singular), even when referring to many costs.

2. a particular thing, service, or activity that you need to pay for, especially on

2.名詞B1
釋義

a particular thing, service, or activity that you need to pay for, especially one that takes up a regular or large part of your budget

例句

Car insurance is a necessary expense for every driver in Japan.

pattern: a necessary expense

Ignacio's biggest monthly expense after rent is his daughter's music lessons.

同義詞
  • cost

    Can be used for a specific item's price, but 'cost' is often the price itself; 'expense' implies the burden of paying

  • outgoing

    Usually plural 'outgoings'; more common in British English for regular payments like bills

  • overhead

    Specifically ongoing business costs like rent and utilities; narrower in meaning

反義詞
  • income

    Money received rather than spent

文法句型

a/an + expense

a major/big/huge expense

用法筆記

Countable — takes an article or determiner ('an expense', 'every expense', 'a big expense'). Distinguish from sense 1: sense 2 names the specific item paid for, while sense 1 refers to the general act of spending resources.

常見錯誤

❌The car repair was a expense I did not plan for.
✅The car repair was an expense I did not plan for.
💡'Expense' begins with a vowel sound, so use 'an.'
❌Buying a house is big expense.
✅Buying a house is a big expense.
💡Countable noun needs an article.

3. money that an employee pays for work-related items — such as travel, meals, or o

3.名詞B2
釋義

money that an employee pays for work-related items — such as travel, meals, or office supplies — and later gets back from the employer, or that can be deducted from tax

例句

Élise submitted her travel expenses after the three-day conference in Singapore.

collocation: submit expenses

The sales team's entertainment expenses include client dinners and golf outings.

同義詞
  • reimbursement

    The money received back, not the spending itself; more formal

  • outgoings

    Broader — includes all regular payments, not just work-related ones

  • costs

    Less specific; 'costs' can include non-reimbursable expenses

文法句型

expenses (plural)

claim expenses

submit expenses

cover expenses

用法筆記

Almost always plural ('expenses') in this sense. When 'expense' appears in the singular in a work context, it usually belongs to sense 1 or 2. Commonly paired with 'claim,' 'submit,' 'report,' or 'cover.'

常見錯誤

❌I need to submit my expense before Friday.
✅I need to submit my expenses before Friday.
💡In the business-reimbursement meaning, always use the plural 'expenses.'
❌The company will pay back my travel expences.
✅The company will pay back my travel expenses.
💡Common spelling error: 'expense' not 'expence.'

4. a situation where one person or thing suffers harm, loss, or disadvantage so tha

4.名詞B2
釋義

a situation where one person or thing suffers harm, loss, or disadvantage so that someone else can gain an advantage — used only in the phrase 'at the expense of' or 'at somebody's expense'

例句

The manager built her reputation at the expense of her junior staff.

idiom: at the expense of

The city built a new stadium at the expense of the local public library.

同義詞
  • sacrifice

    A neutral giving up of something valuable; 'expense' in this sense implies the sacrifice is someone else's loss for another's gain

  • detriment

    Formal synonym for harm or damage; 'to the detriment of' is a close equivalent to 'at the expense of'

  • cost

    In 'at the cost of,' this functions similarly but is less formal and more general

反義詞
  • benefit

    An advantage or gain, the opposite of loss or detriment

文法句型

at the expense of + noun/gerund

at somebody's expense

用法筆記

Only appears in the fixed phrase 'at the expense of' or 'at somebody's expense.' Cannot stand alone as a noun. In 'at somebody's expense,' 'somebody' can refer to the person being joked about or the person paying.

常見錯誤

❌The team won, but expense of their health.
✅The team won, but at the expense of their health.
💡The phrase always requires 'at' before 'the expense.'
❌They made profit at the expense of the environment.
✅They made a profit at the expense of the environment.
💡Grammar note: 'profit' can be countable or uncountable, but the phrase structure remains 'at the expense of.'

expense — verb