at the expense of sb/sth
prep. phr..prep. phr.. when you do something that causes harm or loss to someone or something else in order to succeed.
prep. phr.. a prepositional phrase indicating that a particular gain or achievement results in the detriment, loss, or sacrifice of another entity or quality.
He built a successful career at the expense of his health.
The company increased its short-term profits at the expense of long-term stability and employee morale.
The rapid industrialization of the region was achieved at the expense of the local ecosystem, leading to irreversible biodiversity loss.
often used in political, economic, or personal development contexts to highlight a trade-off.
point out that 'at the expense of' can also be used for humor, such as 'making a joke at someone's expense', meaning to make them look silly.
He won the race on the expense of his teammate.He won the race at the expense of his teammate.the phrase is fixed with the preposition 'at'; using 'on' or 'by' is incorrect.