# expendable

/ɪkˈspɛndəbəɫ/ (US) · /ɛkspˈɛndəbəl/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/expendable
Updated: 2026-05-18

## Definition

describing something or someone that is not very valuable and can be easily replaced or lost.

For teachers: capable of being sacrificed, discarded, or replaced without significant consequence. Often used in contexts of resource management or social hierarchy.

## Examples

- The old car was finally expendable and we sold it.
- In a high-stakes military operation, the soldiers were treated as expendable assets to protect the mission's success.
- The CEO argued that the outdated software was expendable, but the IT department warned that its removal would cause immediate systemic failures across the network.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.