What does "spending" mean?

1. (money paid out) the money that you spend, or the act of spending it.

How do you use "spending"?

Often used as an uncountable noun, but can be modified by adjectives like 'public' or 'consumer'.

Is it correct to say "The government spending is too high."?

No — say "Government spending is too high.". When 'spending' is used as a general concept with a modifier like 'government' or 'consumer', you usually do not need the definite article 'the'.

Word noun

spending

US /ˈspɛndɪŋ/ UK /spˈɛndɪŋ/ spend·ing UK spelling spendings

Definition

01 B1 Intermediate

the money that you spend, or the act of spending it.

the act of expending money or the total amount of expenditure.

Simple

“The family had to cut back on their monthly spending to save for a new car.”

In context

“Economists are concerned that a sharp decrease in consumer spending could trigger a recession in the coming fiscal year.”

Usage

Often used as an uncountable noun, but can be modified by adjectives like 'public' or 'consumer'.

Pitfall

The government spending is too high. Government spending is too high.

When 'spending' is used as a general concept with a modifier like 'government' or 'consumer', you usually do not need the definite article 'the'.

Synonyms
expenditure outlay costs

Antonyms
saving income revenue

Usage spending time · spending hours · spending money

This entry

Level B1 · Intermediate

Frequency Common

Updated June 19, 2026