cash drains

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cash drains" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to expenses or financial obligations that deplete cash reserves or resources. Example: "The unexpected repairs on the building have become significant cash drains for our budget this quarter."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Meanwhile, despite having no sources of income, and two homes that are cash drains and worth less than their mortgages, Mr. and Mrs. Altomare manage to keep their three cars.

The New York Times

But few of these are meaningful profit contributors and some seem more like long-term cash drains.

Forbes

Lawsuits are distractions and cash drains, especially when you're a lean startup in the midst of managing high growth.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

China suffers a lull in manufacturing and its biggest weekly cash drain ever.

The New York Times

"For Google, Android is a cash drain," said James Faucette, an analyst with Pacific Crest Securities.

The New York Times - Tech

One young woman, who had just had a baby, found the child a "cash drain" and a "time drain".

The New Yorker

"What could have turned Palm into a household name turned into a massive cash drain," he said.

The New York Times - Tech

For instance, Dell had a $450 million cash drain in the last fiscal year just from the "deferred income taxes" line.

The New York Times

But keep looking towards that future, because operating so ambitiously online is a cash drain, not a cash cow, for the moment.

The Guardian

Mr Combes expects them to switch from being a cash drain of €115m in 2012 to become a fount of over €250m in two years' time.

The Economist

After the Deepwater Horizon accident in April 2010, BP faced a liquidity squeeze, a huge cash drain from litigation payments and the threat of a takeover.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "cash drains", ensure the context clearly indicates what is causing the depletion of funds. Be specific about the source of the financial outflow for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "cash drains" too generally. Instead of saying "the project had cash drains", specify where the money was being spent inefficiently. For instance, state "the project experienced cash drains due to unexpected material costs".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cash drains" functions as a noun phrase often used as a subject complement or object, describing entities or situations that cause a depletion of financial resources. Ludwig confirms the phrase is usable in English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "cash drains" is a grammatically correct noun phrase used to describe entities or situations that deplete financial resources. As Ludwig AI explains, it is most commonly found in news and business contexts, serving to identify factors causing financial instability. When using "cash drains", specificity and clarity are important to avoid overly broad applications. Alternatives include "financial burden", "economic drain", and "monetary loss". While the phrase is usable, ensure appropriate context to convey the continuous outflow of funds.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

economic drain

Highlights the negative economic impact or depletion.

outflow of capital

A more formal term for money leaving an entity.

financial burden

Refers to something costly or demanding in terms of finances.

budgetary strain

Indicates stress on a budget due to expenses.

expense burden

Focuses on the burden caused by high expenses.

funding shortfall

Indicates a lack of sufficient funds to cover expenses.

monetary loss

Emphasizes the loss of money or financial resources.

profit erosion

Refers to the gradual decrease in profit margins.

revenue leakage

Highlights the loss of potential revenue.

resource depletion

Highlights the using up of resources, not only cash.

FAQs

How can I use "cash drains" in a sentence?

You can use "cash drains" to describe situations where money is consistently flowing out, such as, "Lawsuits are distractions and "cash drains", especially when you're a lean startup".

What are some alternatives to the phrase "cash drains"?

Alternatives include "financial burden", "economic drain", or "monetary loss" depending on the specific context you wish to convey.

Is "cash drain" or "cash drains" more appropriate?

While both are acceptable, "cash drains" is more suitable when referring to multiple sources or instances of financial outflow. Use "cash drain" as a singular reference. For example, "lawsuits are a "cash drain"".

What's the difference between "cash drains" and "financial burden"?

"Cash drains" specifically refers to the ongoing depletion of cash reserves, while "financial burden" is a broader term indicating something costly or difficult to afford. Not every financial burden leads to continuous cash outflow.