incur cost

USAGE SUMMARY

"incur cost" is correct and usable in written English.
It is usually used to refer to spending or expenses that are necessary, or unavoidable. For example: "This project will likely incur considerable costs for supplies and labor."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

For example, roaming minutes may be limited, which incur cost when calling outside the coverage area.

TechCrunch

In addition, the range-based schemes require expensive and power-intensive measuring devices or synchronization between nodes which may incur cost and energy problems.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

However, these hypothetical situations could also potentially incur cost for the emitters who risk being completely deprived of food if the competing clan or lion group takes over.

BMC Ecology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Unsurprisingly, such investments will incur costs.

The Guardian

Used-car retailers incur costs moving the cars through the auction, too.

The New York Times

The CMA estimates that the industry will incur costs of £75m– £110m to implement the changes.

The Guardian - Business

You do incur costs when buying and selling funds and shares within your Sipp.

The Guardian - Money

And they say they incur costs that the authors have failed to take into account.

The Economist

However, it continues to incur costs from the discovery of stress cracks inside the wings of A380 jets.

The Guardian - Business

A 1percentt fee is not unusual, and some large pension funds incur costs of just one-twentieth of 1percentt.

The New York Times

Manufacturing in China allows companies to incur costs in renminbi, the same currency as a growing part of their sales.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "incur cost" when you want to specifically highlight the act of becoming subject to an expense, often as a result of a decision or action. For example, "Expanding the business will incur significant costs."

Common error

Avoid using "incur cost" when you mean to say that someone has already paid the expense. "Incur" describes the process of becoming liable for a cost, not the act of settling it. For instance, say "The company incurred costs of $10,000" to mean they became liable for that amount, not that they paid it already.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "incur cost" functions as a verb phrase where "incur" is the verb indicating the action of becoming subject to something undesirable, like a cost, and "cost" is the noun representing the expense. Ludwig examples demonstrate this usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "incur cost" is a grammatically sound expression used to describe the process of becoming subject to an expense or financial obligation. While Ludwig AI identifies its usage as correct, the analysis reveals that it is a relatively rare phrase, appearing most often in science, news media and wiki sources. Alternatives such as "assume the expense" or "bear the expense" offer similar meanings with varying degrees of formality. When using "incur cost", be mindful to distinguish it from "pay cost"; "incur" denotes the becoming liable, whereas "pay" means settling the debt.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

assume the expense

Highlights the act of taking on or accepting the responsibility for a cost.

bear the expense

Focuses on enduring or carrying the burden of an expense.

face the cost

Emphasizes confronting or dealing with a cost.

shoulder the cost

Highlights taking responsibility for a cost or expense.

take on the expense

Suggests a deliberate acceptance of a financial obligation.

sustain losses

Emphasizes the experience of suffering a loss, which can be financial.

encounter the cost

Implies unexpectedly coming across a cost or expense.

be liable for the cost

Indicates a legal or contractual obligation to cover the cost.

undergo expenses

Suggests a process of experiencing expenses, often unexpectedly.

experience expenditures

Formally describes the process of undergoing expenses.

FAQs

How can I use "incur cost" in a sentence?

You can use "incur cost" to describe becoming subject to an expense or liability. For example, "The project will "incur cost" due to unexpected delays".

What's a formal alternative to "incur cost"?

A more formal alternative is to say "assume the expense". This phrase is suitable for business and academic contexts.

What does it mean to "incur cost"?

To ""incur cost"" means to become liable for or subject to an expense, debt, or financial obligation. It implies that the cost is a consequence of a particular action or event.

Is "incur cost" the same as "pay cost"?

No, ""incur cost"" means to become liable for a cost, while "pay cost" means to settle or discharge that liability. You "incur cost" first, and then you might pay it later.