FluencyCraft

cost

"Cost" is a very common and useful English word. It works as both a noun and a verb, and it has a few closely related meanings that you will encounter every day — from shopping to making difficult decisions.

1nounprice of something

The cost of something is the amount of money you need to pay to buy or get it. Think of it as the 'price tag' on anything — a product, a service, or an experience.

everyday language, business · Modern, widely used

The cost of a train ticket has gone up this year.

We compared the cost of different apartments before choosing one.

The total cost of the repairs was higher than expected.

2verbto have a price

When something 'costs' a certain amount, that is how much money you must pay for it. Notice that this verb is irregular — the past tense is also 'cost', not 'costed'.

everyday language · Modern, widely used

This jacket costs fifty dollars.

How much did the meal cost?

The concert tickets cost more than I expected.

3nounfigurativea loss or sacrifice

Sometimes 'cost' does not mean money at all. It refers to something valuable you lose or give up — like time, health, relationships, or happiness — in order to achieve something.

everyday language, formal writing · Modern, widely used · figurative

He became very successful, but at the cost of his health.

She finished the project on time, but at great personal cost.

Winning the war came at a terrible cost in human lives.

4verbfigurativeto cause a loss or sacrifice

When something 'costs' you in a non-money sense, it means it causes you to lose or suffer something important. It is the verb form of the figurative noun sense above.

everyday language · Modern, widely used · figurative

That one mistake cost him his job.

The delay could cost us the entire contract.

Her careless words cost her a close friendship.

5nouncosts (plural) — legal fees

In a legal context, 'costs' refers to the fees and expenses involved in a court case. When a judge orders someone to 'pay costs', it means they must cover the legal expenses of the other side.

law · Formal, widely used in legal contexts

The judge ordered the defendant to pay all court costs.

Legal costs can be very high in a long trial.

She won the case and was awarded costs.

Content generated by AI — may contain inaccuracies