SPEND Synonyms: 98 Similar and Opposite Words

spend

verb

ˈspend

Definition of spend

as in to pay

to hand over or use up in payment I always end up spending too much money at the mall

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to consume

to make complete use of the town has already spent its budget for snow removal, and it's only January

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to waste

to use up carelessly spent all his energy on impractical schemes

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 spend The owner, Quinton Anderson, spent years in Miami curating these deep cuts, making the music feel as intentional as the drinks and the service. — Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026 Alberto served 16 years in prison for human-rights abuses and Keiko spent years under investigation over campaign financing allegations, which were dropped last year. — Reuters, NBC news, 4 July 2026 As the United States turns 250 years old, Americans across the country are spending the holiday thinking about what the big birthday means to them, with reflections and celebrations as diverse as the nation itself. — Susan Bence, NPR, 4 July 2026 The origins of Gymshark can be traced back to 2012, when Francis was still a teenager, studying by day at Birmingham’s Aston University, delivering pizzas for Pizza Hut at night and spending his free time at the gym. — Robert Olsen, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for spend

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spend

Verb

The goal is to brighten—not shrink or damage—your fabrics, so pay special attention to heat sensitivity and fiber type.

— Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 1 July 2026
In California, drivers pay some of the highest prices in the country.

— Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

Definition of pay

Verb

Every one of those calls consumes tokens and touches a system with its own permissions.

— Janakiram MSV, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
Public health data has taught us that alcohol, which can be fine when consumed in moderation, can be harmful to individual and societal health in excessive amounts.

— Adam Hoffer, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026

Definition of consume

Verb

Once again, no one is here for the play-acting, the time-wasting, the cheating.

— Stuart James, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Rather than simply reducing power use across the board, the system attempts to identify exactly when machinery is wasting energy and proposes operational changes that can reduce consumption without disrupting productivity.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 4 July 2026

Definition of waste

Verb

When this place is eventually gone — a phrase that feels truly bizarre given the environment this summer and the half-century preceding it — the lasting images will be the seas of red.

— Sam McDowell Updated July 3, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2026
Officials advise the public to give bears space and not let pets bother them.

— Finch Walker, USA Today, 4 July 2026

Definition of give

Verb

Conwell drained a three on his first shot but then missed six in a row, before hitting another three late in the third quarter.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 4 July 2026
The promotion dropped on Monday, June 29 and almost immediately, the original $150,000 budget allocated to the promotion was drained —covering some 25,000 pulls.

— Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026

Definition of drain

Verb

The Padres, meanwhile, have lost six straight and given up 66 runs over the last six days, the most in such a span in franchise history.

— Liana Handler Follow, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
But water also carries the potential for danger, and parents who have lost a child to drowning are begging families to use caution.

— Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Definition of lose

Verb

Budweiser's free beer promotion for America's 250th and its own 150th anniversary quickly exhausted its initial $150,000 budget, disappointing many.

— Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
His one non-negotiable is that his players take a similar approach and are exhausted when leaving the pitch.

— Colin Millar, New York Times, 4 July 2026

Definition of exhaust

Verb

Often, firming lotions are thick and leave a white cast, but this Olay option, which more than 30,000 buyers have picked up in the past month alone, is lightweight, non-greasy, and absorbs quickly.

— Claire West, InStyle, 1 July 2026
For decades, oceans have acted as the planet’s main heat sink, absorbing 90% of the excess heat produced by humans burning fossil fuels.

— Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 1 July 2026

Definition of absorb

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spences

spend

spender

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Cite this Entry

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“Spend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spend. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of spend

verb

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