incur

/ɪnˈkɜː(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈkɜːr/ (ame, ipa) · /in-ˈkər/ (ame, mw)

incur — verb

  • incurpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • incurshe / she / it
  • incurredpast simple
  • incurring-ing form

1. to end up facing a negative outcome — such as a cost, a penalty, or someone's an

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to end up facing a negative outcome — such as a cost, a penalty, or someone's anger — because of something you did, agreed to, or put yourself in the position for.

例句

Tanvi incurred a large hospital bill after spending a night in the emergency room.

collocation: incur + [bill / cost / expense] (financial consequences)

The shipping company incurred heavy losses during last year's economic downturn.

collocation: incur + [loss / debt] (business context)

同義詞
  • sustain

    more formal and passive; often paired with injury or loss (sustain damage)

  • suffer

    broader range and less formal; can describe physical pain or emotional hardship

  • contract

    specific to debts, obligations, or diseases; has a legal tone

  • run up

    informal; only for debts or bills (run up a huge credit card bill)

反義詞
  • avoid

    deliberately prevent a negative outcome (avoid incurring penalties)

  • escape

    manage not to experience something undesirable (escape incurring any fines)

文法句型

incur + noun phrase

用法筆記

Frequently used in business, legal, and official writing. The object is almost always something negative — costs, losses, debts, penalties, anger, criticism, or injury. Not used with positive outcomes (do not say 'incur a benefit').

常見錯誤

❌The accident incurred near the highway.
✅The accident occurred near the highway.
💡'Incur' is transitive (you incur something); it does not mean 'happen'.
❌She incurred a wonderful new opportunity.
✅She incurred a large debt after opening the business.
💡'Incur' only describes negative outcomes, never positive ones.