1
as in spending
to hand over or use up in payment
redecoration will have to wait, since we've just expended our last dollar in buying the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in consuming
to make complete use of
settlers had to be sure not to expend their supply of firewood before the end of the long winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of expending
Because what the Knicks are seeing right now is a player expending so much on one end that there may not be enough left on the other — and a coaching staff still searching for ways to pull him out of it before the games start to matter more.
—
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2026
With one missile – particularly one outfitted with cluster munitions – Iran can send millions of Israelis into bomb shelters and cause Israel and the US to continue expending a finite supply of costly missile interceptors.
—Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026
Exercise positively impacts sleep by expending energy and making your more tired.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 11 Mar. 2026
Macron said France is expending diplomatic capital to ensure a return to calm and to allow for the Lebanese armed forces to assert themselves as Israel pounds Hezbollah positions.
—Sylvie Corbet, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Still, Rayburn said expending too many munitions in the conflict with Iran could prove problematic for America’s future preparedness.
—Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 4 Mar. 2026
Thankfully, after expending serious overtime up front, the design crew lightened its hand over the rest of the truck, which remains a stout, sturdy pickup without the over-accentuation that characterizes the new US-market Tundra and Tacoma.
—New Atlas, 16 Jan. 2026
And if this energy is used or leaks away, cells can replenish it by expending more of their chemical energy.
—Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 12 Jan. 2026
Some argue that instead of expending resources and effort to knock its adversaries off balance, the United States should invest in itself and its distinct advantages, including existing and new relationships with allies, friends, and partners.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2026
With one missile – particularly one outfitted with cluster munitions – Iran can send millions of Israelis into bomb shelters and cause Israel and the US to continue expending a finite supply of costly missile interceptors.
—Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026
Exercise positively impacts sleep by expending energy and making your more tired.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 11 Mar. 2026
Macron said France is expending diplomatic capital to ensure a return to calm and to allow for the Lebanese armed forces to assert themselves as Israel pounds Hezbollah positions.
—Sylvie Corbet, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Still, Rayburn said expending too many munitions in the conflict with Iran could prove problematic for America’s future preparedness.
—Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 4 Mar. 2026
Thankfully, after expending serious overtime up front, the design crew lightened its hand over the rest of the truck, which remains a stout, sturdy pickup without the over-accentuation that characterizes the new US-market Tundra and Tacoma.
—New Atlas, 16 Jan. 2026
And if this energy is used or leaks away, cells can replenish it by expending more of their chemical energy.
—Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 12 Jan. 2026
Some argue that instead of expending resources and effort to knock its adversaries off balance, the United States should invest in itself and its distinct advantages, including existing and new relationships with allies, friends, and partners.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expending
Verb
-
The 23-year-old, boxed out of the Yankees’ Opening Day roster despite spending the entire 2025 season in the majors, was called up from Triple-A on Monday.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Since making their water landing, the three Americans and one Canadian who set out on the lunar journey have been busy, spending recent weeks reuniting with family, debriefing the mission and making media appearances – all while adapting to life back on Earth.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That’s what people are consuming.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
-
See what else our critics are consuming this week.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Talking about more than academics, Joyce said CLC’s project to build the Advanced Technology Center in Gurnee, teaching skills for well-paying jobs and a major expansion to the Waukegan campus have made a difference in helping to build the workforce.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Lawyers who represent Silicon Valley’s biggest AI firms are paying attention.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Shane Lowry has the distinction of draining one of the more memorable putts in recent golf history.—
Kels Dayton,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Grow crocosmia in moist, organically rich, well-draining soil in full sun to light shade.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In some ways, the Wolfpack were already destined for a reset, with veterans like Tre Holloman, Darrion Williams, Quadir Copeland and Ven-Allen Lubin all exhausting their eligibility.—
Brendan Marks,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Instead, America seems to be exhausting itself and its arsenals in the Middle East.—
Andreas Kluth,
Twin Cities,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Each time, Banchero was at the center of it, creating offense, absorbing contact and refusing to let the game slip entirely out of reach.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The best ones contained rice starch, charcoal, and other oil-absorbing ingredients that didn’t weigh down hair or leave behind a white residue.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
MacRumors thinks this could end up reducing the thickness of the iPhone’s display stack while improving brightness and minimizing power use.—
Will McCurdy,
PC Magazine,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The Airhart ethos is focused on reducing the cognitive drain on the pilot.—
David Szondy
April 25,
New Atlas,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But in this day and age of college football, with name, image and likeness deals keeping kids in college and depleting draft classes … are there really any reaches outside of the first 20 picks?—
Vic Tafur,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Being undiagnosed for decades also cost us my fertility, depleting my ovarian reserve and leading to miscarriage after miscarriage with IVF and IUIs.—
Kristina Kasparian,
SELF,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expending. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
