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budget

1 of 3

noun

bud·getˈbə-jət How to pronounce budget (audio)

Synonyms ofbudget next

chiefly dialectal:a usually leather pouch, wallet, or pack

also:its contents

:stock,supply

:a quantity (as of energy or water) involved in, available for, or assignable to a particular situation

the A-bomb … yields itsbudget of energy … in a fraction of a second—

Scientific American Reader

also:an account of gains and losses of such a quantity

the global carbonbudget

finance

:a statement of the financial position of an administration (as of a nation) for a definite period of time based on estimates ofexpenditures during the period and proposals for financing them

:a plan for the coordination of resources and expenditures

develop abudget for her company

:the amount of money that is available for, required for, or assigned to a particular purpose

a weeklybudget for a family of five

abudget of less than $3000

budgetary

ˈbə-jə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce budget (audio)

-ˌte-rē

adjective

budget

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verb

budgeted;budgeting;budgets

transitive verb

:to put or allow for in a statement or plan coordinating resources and expenditures:to put or allow for in abudget

budgeted $200 a month to pay back student loans

fundsbudgeted by the administration for the project

:to require to adhere to a budget

Budget yourself wisely.

:toallocate funds for in a budget

budget a new hospital

:to plan or provide for the use of in detail

budgeting manpower

Budget your time wisely.

intransitive verb

:to put oneself on a budget

budgeting for a vacation

budget

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adjective

:suitable for someone who is following a plan for coordinating resources and expenditures:suitable for one on a budget (seebudgetentry 1):inexpensive

Synonyms

Noun

Verb

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples ofbudget in a Sentence

Noun What's the average weeklybudget for a family of five? The film has a million-dollarbudget. He's been trying to live on abudget of less than $1,500 a month. We'll have to work out abudget so we can buy a new car.Verb Theybudgeted millions of dollars to make the film. The project isbudgeted at more than $100,000. Hebudgets $50 for entertainment each month. If webudget carefully, we will be able to go on the trip. I need to learn how tobudget my time more wisely.Adjective abudget phone plan for people on fixed incomes

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage.Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.Send us feedback.

Noun

Instead of figuring out ways to save money and balance thebudget, all San Diego’s mayor and council do is talk about how to raise money for things that won’t make the city better.—

U T Readers,San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025What’s being considered this month by Trump and Republican congressional leaders is an outline of the entire federalbudget.—

David Lightman,Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2025

Verb

When combining these frameworks—budgetingfor failures, targeting transformative returns, and building feedback loops—business leaders can adopt a systematic, sustainable approach to innovation.—

Jessica Mendoza,Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025Lawmakersbudgetedto about $16.9 billion in general fund spending, which is the more flexible pot of money for state priorities.—

Nick Coltrain,Denver Post, 31 Mar. 2025

Adjective

In terms of airlines, the top five carriers with the most delays were a mix ofbudgetand non-budget airlines.—

Jessica Poitevien,Travel + Leisure, 4 Nov. 2021On Friday, Jean-Jacques Annaud’s disaster drama Notre-Dame on Fire opens opposite Japanese rock opera anime Inu-Oh, directed by Masaaki Yuasa, as well as several mid-budgetChinese releases.—

Patrick Brzeski,The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Apr. 2023See All Example Sentences forbudget

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle Englishbowgette, from Middle Frenchbougette, diminutive ofbouge leather bag, from Latinbulga, of Celtic origin; akin to Middle Irishbolg bag; akin to Old Englishbelg bag — more atbelly

Verb

derivative ofbudgetentry 1

Adjective

from attributive use ofbudgetentry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined atsense 1

Verb

1618, in the meaning defined attransitive sense 1a

Adjective

1941, in the meaning definedabove

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