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
Ditto for Edmund Addo, the aging theater owner who has devoted his entire life to reopening the Rex Cinema in Ghana, even at the expense of his relationships with his children.
—
Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
The bets were allegedly all made with the intention of profiting off the scheme at the expense of the betting companies.
—Dan Gallo, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025
Green is known for speaking his mind, talking candidly, and cracking jokes at the expense of others.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
For decades, chemotherapy was the blunt instrument of breast cancer care—effective, but often at the expense of a patient’s overall well-being.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at the expense of
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Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
The bets were allegedly all made with the intention of profiting off the scheme at the expense of the betting companies.
—Dan Gallo, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025
Green is known for speaking his mind, talking candidly, and cracking jokes at the expense of others.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
For decades, chemotherapy was the blunt instrument of breast cancer care—effective, but often at the expense of a patient’s overall well-being.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 21 Oct. 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 30 Oct. 2025.
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