English Profile

expense · noun C or U

/ɪkˈspens/Full view

Word family

Nouns: expenditure, expense, expenses

Adjectives: expensive, inexpensive

Verbs: expend

Adverbs: expensively, inexpensively

expense

B2 the money that you spend on something

Dictionary examples:

Buying a bigger car has proved to be well worth the expense.

We've just had a new garage built at great expense.

It's silly to go to the expense of buying new clothes when you don't really need them.

You have to pay/cover your own medical expenses.

Learner example:

We couldn't afford the expense of a new car [at] that time. (First Certificate in English; B2; Greek)

at the expense of sth

C1 If you do one thing at the expense of another, doing the first thing harms the second thing.

Dictionary example:

He spent a lot of time at work, at the expense of his marriage.

Learner example:

Unfortunately one is usually done at the expense of the other. (Certificate in Advanced English; C1; Polish)

at sb's expense

C2 in order to make someone look stupid

Dictionary example:

Stop making jokes at my expense.

Learner example:

But despite his intellectual superiority, Piggy was subject to derision because of his physical outward appearance and the group of boys played jokes at his expense. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; German)