spending

spending — noun

1. The money that a person, company, or government pays for things they need, such

1.nounB1
Definition

The money that a person, company, or government pays for things they need, such as food, housing, equipment, or public services.

Example

The city council reduced its spending on new road projects this year.

collocation: spending on [activity]

Kemi tracks her monthly spending to make sure she stays within her budget.

collocation: track + spending

Common collocations
  • spending on [education/healthcare/defense]
  • government / consumer / household spending
  • cut / reduce / increase / boost spending
Synonyms
  • expenditure

    more formal; common in government, business, and academic contexts

  • outlay

    formal; suggests a one-time or large sum paid for a specific purpose

  • costs

    broader; can include non-monetary costs and ongoing expenses

Antonyms
  • savings

    money that is kept rather than spent

Grammar Patterns

spending + on + [item or activity]

Usage Note

Spending is always uncountable — it has no plural form. It is frequently used with a modifier that tells who is spending or what the money is for, such as 'consumer spending' or 'defense spending.'

Common Mistakes

The spending are too high this month.
The spending is too high this month.
Spending is an uncountable noun and always takes a singular verb.
I need to reduce my spendings.
I need to reduce my spending.
Spending has no plural form; the word stays the same even when referring to multiple areas.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Spending is the most general and everyday word — you use it for personal budgets, company reports, and government policy. Expenditure is more formal and often appears in official documents or academic writing; it suggests a carefully recorded sum. Outlay is used for a significant one-time payment, such as the initial outlay for buying a house or starting a business. Costs is broader and can include time, effort, or opportunity, not just money — 'the costs of moving to a new city include stress and lost work hours.' Expenses are regular payments needed for daily life, like rent, utilities, and transportation. For a natural example: 'The company's spending on marketing went up this quarter' sounds neutral, while 'the company's expenditure on marketing' sounds more official.

expenditure ↗outlaycostsexpenses

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • spending habits
  • spending cuts
  • spending spree
  • spending limit

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchOld EnglishEnglish

Spending comes from the Old English verb 'spendan' (to consume or pay out), which was borrowed from Latin 'expendere' (to weigh out money). The Latin word is formed from 'ex-' (out) and 'pendere' (to weigh, to pay). The spelling and meaning were influenced by Old French 'despendre.' The noun form developed naturally from the verb to describe the money itself, not just the act of paying it out. Over centuries, the word broadened from personal purchases to include government budgets and corporate accounts.