at the expense of
idiom
: in a way that harms (something or someone)
Malls flourished at the expense of small stores downtown.
He argues that the tax cut will benefit the rich at the expense of the poor.
Examples of at the expense of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But these teachings challenge any notion of hoarding resources for oneself—or one’s precious group—at the expense of others in need.
—
John Fugelsang
september 12, Literary Hub, 12 Sep. 2025
The reality is, most commercial language models are generally engineered to always please users, producing answers sometimes at the expense of truth.
—Scott Zoldi, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
The same concern emerges in places like Haiti and Ecuador, as foreign mercenaries and drones are being drafted in at the expense of building up the local armed forces and the national police.
—Alia Brahimi, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Local, state and national Republicans have accused Lyles and other Democrats who lead Charlotte of installing criminal justice policies at the expense of public safety.
—Holly Yan, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at the expense of
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John Fugelsang
september 12, Literary Hub, 12 Sep. 2025
The reality is, most commercial language models are generally engineered to always please users, producing answers sometimes at the expense of truth.
—Scott Zoldi, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
The same concern emerges in places like Haiti and Ecuador, as foreign mercenaries and drones are being drafted in at the expense of building up the local armed forces and the national police.
—Alia Brahimi, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Local, state and national Republicans have accused Lyles and other Democrats who lead Charlotte of installing criminal justice policies at the expense of public safety.
—Holly Yan, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at the expense of
Cite this Entry
“At the expense of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20the%20expense%20of. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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