outlay 1 of 2

noun

ˈau̇t-ˌlā How to pronounce outlay (audio)
Definition of outlaynext
as in expense
a payment made in the course of achieving a result the outlays for the couple's upcoming wedding seem to be multiplying at an incredible rate

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outlay

2 of 2

verb

ˈau̇t-ˌlā How to pronounce outlay (audio)
as in to spend
to hand over or use up in payment the nation had outlaid nearly 20 billion dollars on social programs at that point

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 outlay
Noun
Candle spent some $4 billion on acquisitions, Mayer recalled, musing about how different that outlay is from the massive level of Disney and other giants. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026 By comparison, total spending jumped 102% in that span, with outlays on social security and employment up 207%, science and technology up 137%, and defense up 141%. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
Verb
Microsoft plans to outlay $4 billion in the next five years worldwide. — Paresh Dave, Wired News, 24 Dec. 2025 Vasquez then asked if the RDA had outlaid any money for LaPorte County for shoreline development. — Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for outlay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outlay
  1. expense
  2. spend
  3. cost
  4. pay
  5. expenditure
Noun
  • Excluding notable items, expenses rose amid inflation and higher spending on technology.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The health benefits it is meant to finance aren’t one-time expenses, after all.
    — Ramesh Ponnuru, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of expense
Verb
  • Successful candidates will then be invited to spend a day at the bank’s offices where they are tested on banking regulation, their use of AI, and their ability to build calculations.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The Finnish Government has granted Posiva Oy an operating license for the world’s first permanent underground repository for spent nuclear fuel.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of spend
Noun
  • But then shipping disruptions, rising fuel costs, and steep international tariffs made exporting increasingly difficult, prompting Yu to turn her attention to building a domestic market.
    — Victoria Malloy, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Future success will require Space42 to turn its technological capabilities, capital commitments and international partnerships into commercially viable services that can compete across markets at scale and at a sustainable cost.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of cost
Verb
  • Benton County will pay $1,014,312 annually, Gentry will pay $195,140, Cave Springs will pay $165,500, and Decatur will pay $94,568.
    — Randy Moll, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • As rocket launches increase, researchers are paying closer attention to this danger.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of pay
Noun
  • According to the district’s chief business officer Gerardo Castillo, Sac City Unified’s initial report included only its 2025-26 expenditures and left out spending from 2024-25.
    — Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • However, skeptics are getting more vocal in their concerns that returns on AI investment won't justify the capital expenditures.
    — Isabel O'Brien, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of expenditure

Browse Nearby Words

outlaws
outlay
outlaying
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Cite this Entry

“Outlay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outlay. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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