How to Use defray in a Sentence

defray

verb
  • This will defray the costs.
  • Solar can help us defray some cost.
    — Anita Gosch, Oc Register, 20 Sep. 2025
  • Some cards even offer a sign-up bonus that can defray a vet bill.
    — Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2019
  • Proceeds will be used to help defray costs for new sound equipment.
    — Carol Kovach, cleveland.com, 16 Oct. 2017
  • The team tries to defray the costs through fundraising throughout the year.
    — The Indianapolis Star, 23 Aug. 2022
  • It's intended to defray some of the cost.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Does your car have trade-in value that would help defray the cost of a replacement?
    — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Feb. 2022
  • Cruise hoped to defray its costs by collecting fares from riders in more and more cities.
    — Tripp Mickle, New York Times, 14 Dec. 2023
  • Netflix's number is more than three times that - without any ads to defray the cost.
    — Steven Zeitchik, chicagotribune.com, 19 Sep. 2019
  • Thus, domestic cheeses may inch up in price to defray the big jump in some costs to consumers.
    — Laura Reiley, Washington Post, 5 Nov. 2019
  • And some states may use state or federal money to defray some or all of the cost for students.
    — The New York Times, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2024
  • You will also be enrolled in the extra help program, to defray drug costs.
    — Liz Seegert, Fortune Well, 11 July 2023
  • And if patient payments can help defray the costs of research, more such trials can be done.
    — Sharon Begley, STAT, 14 May 2020
  • States receive federal funds to defray the cost of in-home care for the poor and ill or disabled.
    — The Editorial Board, WSJ, 17 July 2018
  • Kerr said fundraising is currently taking place to defray some of the costs.
    — Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Funds raised will help to defray funeral costs and help pay for hospital bills.
    — Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 7 Apr. 2026
  • The couple's families also helped defray some of the costs of their event.
    — Christine Rousselle, Fox News, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Of course, one good way to defray the cost of a hospital stay is to buy a Medigap plan.
    — Maurie Backman, USA TODAY, 30 June 2024
  • Both numbers will need to increase to defray the running costs of a large musical.
    — Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Nov. 2024
  • There are ways, however, that Disney can defray that deficit.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • He’s also raised starting wages above $20 an hour and offered stipends to help defray the cost of gas.
    — Rachel Swan, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Aug. 2022
  • Landing fees and rents could help defray some passenger airfare costs in the future.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
  • Attendees will spend $125 to help defray the costs of the trip, which includes the bus rental.
    — al, 5 Jan. 2021
  • Sponsors will help defray costs of the Elgin race, Thompson said.
    — Mike Danahey, Elgin Courier-News, 30 May 2017
  • The new equity fund is supposed to defray the cost of paying back people that lost their homes in prior tax sales.
    — A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026
  • The new fee will defray the labor cost of installing and removing the booting device.
    — Allan Vought, The Aegis, 7 Sep. 2017
  • Across the nation, lawmakers are trying out policies to defray costs or provide new forms of help.
    — Kat McGowan, NPR, 30 Dec. 2025
  • The club holds numerous fundraisers throughout the year to help defray some of the costs of its productions.
    — Katie V. Jones, Howard County Times, 6 Apr. 2018
  • Running ads in free AI products has the potential to defray some of those costs.
    — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 1 May 2025
  • Last week, Ross’s friends set up a Gofundme to help defray the rapper’s medical costs.
    — Jason Newman, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2021

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'defray.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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