Find Synonyms

expense Synonyms

Another word for expense

Choosing another word for expense depends on context, so the 22 synonyms and similar words below are separated across 4 exact definitions and ranked by match strength.
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• noun (Context 1)

The financial cost or expenditure required for something; the money spent on a particular item, activity, or service.

Usage Example

"Renovating the historic library was a worthwhile investment, despite the considerable cost."

Strongest
cost
expenditure
outlay
Strong
spending
disbursement
outgoings
charge
price

• noun (Context 2)

Costs incurred by an employee in the course of performing their job, or money reimbursed by an employer to cover such costs (usually used in the plural).

Usage Example

"The company covers all travel and accommodation expenses for staff attending the annual conference."

Strong
out-of-pocket expenses
reimbursements
allowances
per diem
Weak
overheads

• noun (Context 3)

A sacrifice, loss, or detriment incurred in order to achieve a particular goal or advantage.

Usage Example

"He pursued rapid career advancement at the sacrifice of his personal relationships and leisure time."

Strongest
sacrifice
detriment
cost
Strong
loss
forfeiture
penalty
toll

• verb (Context 4)

To charge a cost incurred during work to an employer's expense account for reimbursement, or to record an outlay as an immediate deductible cost in accounting.

Usage Example

"Remember to keep your itemized receipts so you can write off the client dinner when you return to the office."

Strong
write off
deduct
claim
charge

Opposites of expense

The opposite of expense shifts depending on context. Common opposites include:

revenue
income
benefit
capitalize
gain
profit
advantage
earnings
See all opposites of expense

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Synonyms for Expense. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/synonyms/expense
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