Expendable

B2 16+

Pronunciation: /ɪkˈspɛndəbəl/

Definitions of expendable

noun a person or thing that is considered to be of little value and can be sacrificed if necessary

Example Sentences

A1 In the movie, the expendable characters were easily replaced by new ones.

A2 The soldiers knew they were expendable in the mission.

B1 The company considered the old equipment expendable and replaced it with newer models.

B2 During times of war, soldiers are often seen as expendable by their commanders.

C1 The CEO saw the lower-level employees as expendable and was willing to make cuts to save money.

C2 The government viewed the protestors as expendable in their quest for power.

adjective able to be sacrificed or disposed of

Example Sentences

A1 The disposable cups in the office kitchen are expendable.

A2 During tough times, some employees may be seen as expendable by the company.

B1 In a war zone, soldiers are unfortunately seen as expendable by their superiors.

B2 The company decided to cut costs by laying off expendable employees.

C1 The government viewed the protesters as expendable in their quest for power.

C2 The spy knew that his cover was expendable in order to complete the mission successfully.

Examples of expendable in a Sentence

formal The company considered the temporary workers expendable during the slow season.

informal I heard they think interns are expendable around here.

slang They treat temps like they're totally expendable.

figurative In the game of chess, pawns are often seen as expendable pieces.

Grammatical Forms of expendable

past tense

expended

plural

expendables

comparative

more expendable

superlative

most expendable

present tense

expend

future tense

will expend

perfect tense

have expended

continuous tense

is expending

singular

expendable

positive degree

expendable

infinitive

to expend

gerund

expending

participle

expended

Origin and Evolution of expendable

First Known Use: 1601 year
Language of Origin: Latin
Story behind the word: The word 'expendable' originated from the Latin word 'expendere', which means 'to weigh out' or 'to pay out'.
Evolution of the word: Originally used in the context of accounting and finances, the word 'expendable' evolved to refer to people or things that are considered easily replaceable or disposable.