Cost: meaning, definitions and examples

๐Ÿ’ฐ
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cost

 

[ kษ’st ]

Noun / Verb
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Noun

financial

The amount of money that is required or spent to produce or obtain something.

Synonyms

charge, expense, price.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
cost

Used when talking about the amount of money required to obtain something. Often used in a general sense or when discussing economic aspects.

  • The cost of living in the city is very high.
  • What's the cost of this project?
price

Refers to the specific amount of money asked for or paid for a product or service. It is often used in commercial transactions and can also denote value.

  • The price of this smartphone is $300.
  • They offered a fair price for the furniture.
expense

Used when referring to the money spent on something, often in a cumulative sense or in accounting contexts. It can also imply an undesirable or burdensome cost.

  • Her travel expenses were reimbursed by the company.
  • Running a car can be a significant expense.
charge

Used when someone is required to pay for a service or a product. Often pertains to fees or prices set by businesses or professionals.

  • The hotel charges $100 per night.
  • They charge a fee for late payments.

Examples of usage

  • The cost of living is increasing every year.
  • What is the total cost of the project?
Context #2 | Verb

financial

To require the payment of (a specified sum of money) before it can be acquired or done.

Synonyms

charge, fee, price.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

arrow down
Word Description / Examples
cost

Typically used to describe the amount of money required to obtain something. It is often used when talking about expenses or expenditures.

  • The cost of living in this city is very high.
  • We need to consider the cost of production before setting the final price.
price

Refers to the amount of money expected, required, or given in payment for something. It is often used in the context of buying or selling goods and services.

  • What is the price of this laptop?
  • The price of gasoline has increased dramatically over the past month.
charge

Commonly used to refer to a specific amount of money demanded for a particular service or commodity. It often implies a set or fixed amount.

  • The hotel charges a fee for internet access.
  • You will be charged a penalty for returning the book late.
fee

Usually refers to a payment made for professional services or for a privilege. Often associated with formal services such as legal, educational, or administrative services.

  • There's a registration fee for attending the conference.
  • The lawyer's fee was quite reasonable considering the complexity of the case.

Examples of usage

  • The tickets cost $10 each.
  • How much will it cost to repair the car?

Translations

Translations of the word "cost" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น custo

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคฒเคพเค—เคค

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Kosten

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ biaya

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะฒะฐั€ั‚ั–ัั‚ัŒ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ koszt

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ่ฒป็”จ (ใฒใ‚ˆใ†)

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท coรปt

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ costo

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท maliyet

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๋น„์šฉ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุชูƒู„ูุฉ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ nรกklady

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ nรกklady

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๆˆๆœฌ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ stroลกek

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ kostnaรฐur

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ า›าฑะฝ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒฆแƒ˜แƒ แƒ”แƒ‘แƒฃแƒšแƒ”แƒ‘แƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ dษ™yษ™ri

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ costo

Etymology

The word 'cost' originated from the Latin word 'constare', meaning 'to stand together'. Over time, it evolved to represent the amount of money needed to acquire something. The concept of cost has been integral to economics and finance, guiding decisions on production, pricing, and resource allocation.

See also: costless, costly, costs, costume.

Word Frequency Rank

With position #245, this word is vital for basic English fluency. It appears very frequently in everyday language and should be among the first words you learn and actively use.