go over budget

USAGE SUMMARY

"go over budget" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use this phrase when you want to talk about a situation where the cost of something exceeds the amount of money allocated for it. For example: "We were concerned that our project would go over budget, but luckily we were able to keep it within our allocated budget."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

When you know it is perfect, you are willing to go over budget a little bit.

The New York Times

As a result, it's all too easy to go over budget.

The Guardian - Music

At $99, there's one Hollywood skill the Digital Movie Creator probably can't teach: how to go over budget.

The New York Times - Tech

The costs of badly run NASA projects are paid for with cutbacks or delays in NASA projects that didn't go over budget.

The New York Times

"It's the nature of being a manager at Exeter that we have to be very financially astute and we don't go over budget.

The Guardian - Sport

They want that staff to deliver a great performance and do it on time and not go over budget.

Forbes

AI projects -- and more generally, any deep research -- can easily go over budget and cause your team to miss deadlines.

Forbes

Currently, the survey shows, half of the homeowners who start these kinds of projects don't actually set a budget or go over budget.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

In response, the EA said that the issues which led it to go over-budget in 2016/17 had persisted in 2017/18.

BBC

The information commissioner estimates it at £1bn, which Hodge said was 'absurd', and others raised concerns over the cost, noting that government projects tend to go over-budget.

Wikipedia

Even though the Olympics are often run by private committee, the IOC requires host cities to promise they will settle any debts should the Games go over-budget.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing financial planning, specify the context. Instead of simply stating that a project might "go over budget", clarify which project is at risk and by how much.

Common error

Don't assume that if a project "goes over budget" it's solely due to poor planning. External factors like unexpected material costs or regulatory changes can significantly impact expenses.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "go over budget" functions primarily as a verb phrase, typically used to describe a situation where expenses exceed the allocated or planned amount. Ludwig AI confirms this is a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

26%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Academia

4%

Encyclopedias

4%

Science

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "go over budget" is a commonly used and grammatically correct phrase that describes the situation where expenses exceed the allocated amount. As Ludwig AI points out, this expression is widely understood and accepted in various contexts, ranging from news reports and business communications to casual conversations. While its usage spans multiple domains, it appears most frequently in News & Media sources. To provide clarity and precision, specify which project and by how much it's expected to "go over budget". Related phrases such as "exceed the budget" or "overspend" can offer nuanced alternatives depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

exceed the budget

Replaces "go over" with "exceed", focusing on the action of surpassing the budget.

overspend

A single-word verb that concisely means spending more than the allocated amount.

run over budget

Uses "run over" instead of "go over", implying a gradual increase beyond the budget.

be over budget

Emphasizes the state of being beyond the budget, rather than the action of exceeding it.

exceed expenditure limits

A more formal phrasing that highlights the violation of spending limits.

surpass the financial plan

Replaces 'budget' with the broader term 'financial plan', indicating a deviation from planned spending.

break the bank

An idiomatic expression meaning to spend a lot of money, often beyond what's affordable.

inflate expenses

Focuses on the increase in expenses that leads to exceeding the budget.

bust the budget

An informal alternative suggesting the budget has been severely exceeded or broken.

deplete funds

Emphasizes the reduction of available funds due to overspending.

FAQs

What does it mean when a project is said to "go over budget"?

When a project "goes over budget", it means that the actual expenses have exceeded the initially allocated amount of money. It indicates that the project has cost more than what was originally planned or approved.

What are some alternative ways to say a project "went over budget"?

Instead of saying a project "went over budget", you could say it "exceeded the budget", "overspent", or "ran over budget". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired level of formality.

Is it grammatically correct to say a project "goes over budget"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct to say a project "goes over budget". The phrase is a common and accepted way to express that a project's expenses have surpassed the allocated amount.

What's the difference between a project "going over budget" and "depleting funds"?

While related, "going over budget" refers to exceeding the planned expenses. "Depleting funds" implies that available financial resources are being used up, potentially due to overspending or other financial drains.