expendable item

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "expendable item" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to an item that is not essential and can be easily replaced or discarded after use. Example: "In the budget report, we identified several expendable items that can be cut to save costs."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

An expendable item.

The Guardian - Sport

He's promised not to raise taxes and vowed to cut state spending by 10percentt, but so far the only expendable item he's identified in the prison budget is cable television.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Employing modernist abstraction as a kind of bulletin board that also suggests a chunk of art-studio wall, each presents a spare but suggestive assortment of cheap and expendable items — photographs, trinkets, newspaper clippings, decals, small objects and the odd drawing or note — that, like the works in Ms. Hendeles's show, form a kind of rebus.

The New York Times - Arts

Most applicants asked for funding for expendable items, such as reagents and animals (82% and 46%, respectively), but a substantial proportion (43%) also requested use of core facilities.

CBE Life Sciences Education

Funding (up to $5000) could be requested for the following expenses: 1) expendable items, such as chemical reagents; 2) animal purchase and husbandry; 3) payment of human participants; 4) use of core facilities (e.g., magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], flow cytometry, microscopy core); or 5) equipment or software, such as surgical tools or software for data analysis.

CBE Life Sciences Education

Additionally, if your schedule allows for the pick up of a few items once you arrive, you may want to compare the cost of purchasing your haircare items over the duration of your travels to the cost (and weight) of packing as much of these expendable items to last the whole time.

WikiHow

The incremental per-case cost was the cost of staff members' time for the procedure including set-up and waiting time, instrument sterilization, cost of each expendable supply item, and transportation to deliver outreach and mobile activities, including driver and staff time in transit divided by surgeries delivered.

BMC Health Services Research

V-Points can be used between stages to purchase new abilities, expendable weapons (which include the "Voomerang" and "Shocking Pink Bombs"), more health, and health-restorative items.

Wikipedia

That it was expendable.

The New Yorker

They are expendable commodities.

The New York Times - Sports

Everything was expendable.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing a budget report, use "expendable item" to clearly identify areas where spending can be reduced without significantly impacting core operations.

Common error

Avoid excessive use of the phrase "expendable item" in formal business or academic writing. While grammatically correct, overuse can make your writing sound clinical or impersonal. Instead, opt for synonyms such as "disposable supplies" or "non-essential resources" where appropriate to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "expendable item" functions as a noun phrase where "expendable" modifies the noun "item". It describes something that is not considered essential and can be sacrificed or disposed of if needed. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

33%

Wiki

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "expendable item" is a grammatically correct and usable English expression, typically employed to denote something not essential and easily replaceable. According to Ludwig AI, its usage is accurate. While examples are relatively rare, the phrase appears in diverse contexts, including News & Media, Science, and Wiki sources. When writing, it is appropriate to use "expendable item" when discussing budget cuts or resource management, but writers should be mindful of the tone in formal settings, and should consider using alternative phrases in some cases to avoid sounding too impersonal.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

disposable item

Focuses on the item's designed purpose for single use and disposal.

replaceable item

Highlights the item's characteristic of being easily substituted with another.

non-essential item

Emphasizes the item's lack of necessity.

unnecessary item

Focuses on the item being superfluous.

inessential supply

Specifically refers to a supply that is not crucial.

easily discarded item

Highlights the ease with which the item can be thrown away.

easily replaced item

Similar to replaceable, but emphasizes the ease of replacement.

throwaway item

Emphasizes the item's disposability after use.

consumable item

Indicates that the item is used up or depleted after use.

secondary item

Suggests the item is of lower priority or importance.

FAQs

How can I use "expendable item" in a sentence?

You can use "expendable item" to refer to something not essential or easily replaceable, such as: "Cable television was identified as the only "expendable item" in the prison budget."

What are some alternatives to "expendable item"?

Alternatives include "disposable item", "replaceable item", or "non-essential item", depending on the context.

Is "expendable item" a formal or informal term?

"Expendable item" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, but in some formal settings, alternatives like "disposable supply" or "non-essential resource" may be preferred.

When is it appropriate to use "expendable item"?

It is appropriate when referring to objects or resources that are not crucial and can be easily disposed of or replaced without significant impact. For instance, you might say: "Most applicants requested funding for "expendable item", such as reagents and animals."