Skip to main content
to cost

to cost

∞ 1.0
To have a price that someone must pay
  • verb
  • /kɔst/
: costar
  • You know how much it costs to feed one person?
  • cost too much
  • cost less
  • cost more

Do you know how much it costs to run a podcast?

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • Can students figure out what a car will cost when financed over four years?

    Academic text (2008)
  • Do you know how much it costs to run a podcast?

  • How much do you think it costs me to make this cake?

  • OK, How much does it cost now?

  • Do you have any idea how much that will cost me?

  • It's going to cost you money.

  • In financial terms, it is estimated that cybercrime costs the average U.S. company $15 million a year.

    Academic text (2017)
  • These are handmade mugs and they cost about two US dollars.

  • The resulting Zagi platform is a delta wing aircraft that costs less than $1,000.

    Academic text (2011)
  • How much does this shirt cost to make?

Antonyms

355 1.0

Prevent the need to spend time or money

Idioms

28 4.1

Willing to do anything to get something, even if it is dangerous or expensive

To be very expensive

Compounds

129 2.0

Cheap to buy and easy to afford

The money needed to pay for basic things like food and housing

19 3.0

Steps a company takes to spend less money

average cost
  • Specialized
17 2.7

Total money spent on all units divided by the number of units

production cost
  • Specialized
16 3.1

Money a company spends on materials and work to make goods

cost analysis
  • Specialized
15 3.7

A careful study of the separate costs of a project to find savings

operating cost
  • Specialized
13 3.5

Money spent to run and maintain a business or building, like utilities and insurance

13 2.4

A rise in how much you must pay to buy or make something

cost-benefit analysis
  • Specialized
12 3.9

A careful comparison of costs and benefits to decide if benefits outweigh costs

opportunity cost
  • Specialized
9 5.6

What you give up when you choose one thing instead of another

cost overrun
  • Specialized
8 5.1

The extra money a project spends compared with its planned budget

capital cost
  • Specialized
7 3.6

Money spent to buy things like machines or buildings for a business

borrowing cost
  • Specialized
6 3.1

Money you pay in interest and fees to use money from a bank or another person

marginal cost
  • Specialized
5 4.8

The extra cost to make one more item

cost of capital
  • Specialized
5 7.2

The minimum return a business needs on an investment to keep its market value and attract money

transaction cost
  • Specialized
5 4.1

Money you spend when you buy or sell something, for example finding information and making agreements

direct cost
  • Specialized
5 3.4

A cost you can put on a single project, like materials or wages

The money a company spends on advertising, distribution, and selling products

unit cost
  • Specialized
3 3.3

The amount of money needed to make, store, and sell one item

replacement cost
  • Specialized
3 4.0

How much you pay now to buy a new item that does the same job as the old one

distribution cost
  • Specialized
2 4.2

Money companies pay to deliver goods to customers, like shipping and advertising

cost accounting
  • Specialized
1 5.1

A way for a company to record and study how much money it spends to make and sell products

incremental cost
  • Specialized
1 4.9

The extra or less money needed to make one more product

fixed cost
  • Specialized
1 3.7

A regular business cost that does not change when production changes, like rent and insurance

cost-plus
  • Specialized
1 6.6

A contract that pays actual costs plus an agreed extra fee

cost-of-living index
  • Specialized
1 3.5

A number showing how much money a typical household needs for basic goods and services

carrying cost
  • Specialized
1 6.4

Money you pay to keep something, for example storage, repairs, insurance, and lost income

cost-plus contract
  • Specialized
1 6.7

A contract that pays a contractor for all costs plus an agreed fee or percentage

cost accountant
  • Specialized
1 4.9

A person who records and controls costs of making goods or services

1 3.7

A payment that automatically increases when prices rise to help people afford things

1 4.1

Extra pay for employees to help with higher living costs

An amount of money that a seller charges to prepare and pack an order for delivery

cost ledger
  • Specialized
1 5.6

A book or record showing a company's costs by type

quality cost
  • Specialized
1 6.3

Total money a company spends to make products or services work well and fix problems

failure cost
  • Specialized
1 5.7

Money a company loses when faulty products or services cause problems for customers and the company

capital cost
  • Specialized
1 6.6

How much a business pays to use money for investment

A very high price that is far above normal

bargaining cost
  • Specialized
1 4.8

Money and time spent to reach an agreement, such as talking and preparing a contract

reproduction cost
  • Specialized
1 6.9

Money needed to make an exact copy of a building or item after reducing for loss in value

differential cost
  • Specialized
1 6.9

The change in total cost when you produce one more or one less item

cost of quality
  • Specialized
1 4.9

The total money a company spends to make sure products are good and to fix problems when they are not

5.2

A study of the costs of making a product to see how they affect profit

cost-pull inflation
  • Specialized
7.0

A rise in general prices caused by higher production costs like wages and raw materials

appraisal cost
  • Specialized
5.3

Money spent to check that products or services meet quality standards

external failure cost
  • Specialized
6.5

Money a company loses when faulty products reach customers, for example from returns or repairs

internal failure cost
  • Specialized
5.9

Costs a company pays when it finds and fixes or throws away defective products before they reach customers

Money spent to check that people follow a contract and to act if they break it

prevention cost
  • Specialized
4.2

Money spent to stop problems in a product or process before they happen

3.9

Money you pay to process a transfer on a digital money network, often higher when the network is busy

How Expensive

priceless
112 4.2
overpriced
42 3.7
expensive
∞ 1.0
to cost
∞ 1.0
low-priced
14 1.0
free
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

cost infinitive
cost past
cost past participle
costing present participle
costs third person singular

Etymology

Cost comes from the Latin word constare, which meant 'to stand' and later came to mean a price that 'stands' or is fixed; so to say something costs a certain amount is to say that price is set.