# spend

/ˈspɛnd/ (US) · /spˈɛnd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/spend
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. money

verb · CEFR A1

to give money to pay for goods or services.

For teachers: to pay out or disburse money in exchange for goods or services. Transitive, requiring a financial amount or a general object like 'money'.

- We spent too much money on dinner at that expensive restaurant.
- The department spent its entire annual budget on upgrading the server infrastructure before the fiscal year concluded.

Usage: Takes the preposition 'on' before the item purchased.

### 2. time

verb · CEFR A1

to use time doing a specific activity or being in a certain place.

For teachers: to pass or occupy a period of time. Often followed by a gerund (-ing form) or a prepositional phrase.

- I spent the whole afternoon reading a book in the park.
- She spent several months researching the historical archives to ensure the accuracy of her biographical novel.

Usage: Commonly followed by a time duration and a verb in the -ing form.

### 3. to exhaust

verb · CEFR B2

to use up all of something, like energy or strength.

For teachers: to exhaust or wear out a resource, particularly physical energy or force. Often used in the passive voice or as a past participle.

- The long climb up the mountain had spent all his energy.
- By the time the storm had spent its fury, the coastal village was left with significant structural damage.

### 4. expenditure

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic · Formal

the total amount of money that a person or company spends.

For teachers: the total amount of money expended during a specific period or on a particular project.

- The company needs to reduce its marketing spend this year.
- The government's annual spend on public infrastructure has increased significantly to stimulate the local economy.

Usage: Common in business and government contexts; often functions as an uncountable noun.

## Examples

- I usually spend twenty dollars on lunch every day.
- If you spend too much time on social media, you might find it hard to finish your work.
- The government plans to spend a significant portion of the annual budget on improving public infrastructure and healthcare services in rural areas.

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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.