it only spent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it only spent" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the amount of time, money, or resources that were utilized for a specific purpose. Example: "In the last quarter, the company realized it only spent a fraction of its budget on marketing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Recently, a charity rang me asking for money and it only spent 5% of its income on the cause.

The Guardian

But the organization never denied that it only spent about one-third of its budget on directly helping LRA-affected areas.

HuffPost

Although its financial statements don't show staff numbers, they state that it only spent $627,000 on salaries.

Forbes

That proved unnecessary: thanks to the launch of MLB.tv, a subscription service that shows live games to viewers outside the teams' local markets, it only spent $77m before becoming profitable in 2003.Next, MLBAM focused on improving quality and on complementary software, such as online ticketing and an app for Apple smartphones.

The Economist

(The government says it only spent $300 million on actually sequencing the genome).

Forbes

It only spent one week on top of the chart, being replaced by Aqua's "Doctor Jones".

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

The United Kingdom is a scientific powerhouse and the fifth largest producer of scientific papers worldwide, but it only spends 1.63% of its gross domestic product on research, the report notes.

Science Magazine

Therefore, it only spends 0.5 of a slot in the relay, which is due to the service time in the relay.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

A striking stylised fact to show the magnitude of the disability benefit issue among the working-age population in Norway is that it currently spends about 5% of GDP on long-term sickness/disability benefits, whereas it only spends 0.4% of GDP on unemployment benefits!

IZA Journal of Labor Policy

It only spends $0.03 out of every dollar on administration as opposed to $0.20 from the for-profit insurance companies.

Huffington Post

It only spends approximately 0.54 seconds in the single network.

BMC Medical Genomics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "it only spent", ensure the context clearly indicates what "it" refers to. This avoids ambiguity and ensures clarity in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "it only spent" when a more precise term like "invested", "allocated", or "donated" would provide a more accurate depiction of the activity. The phrase can sometimes lack nuance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it only spent" typically functions as a statement of expenditure, often implying that the amount was less than expected or intended. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically sound and used in real-world contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it only spent" is a grammatically correct and usable expression that implies a limited expenditure, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. While the frequency is uncommon, it appears in a variety of sources, including news, science, and wiki content. The phrase's primary function is to convey information about spending, often with an undertone of frugality or inadequacy. When using this phrase, consider the context to ensure that it accurately conveys the intended meaning. Also, explore the semantically related alternatives, from more formal substitutes such as "its outlay was limited to" to more descriptive variations, to enhance precision and impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it merely allocated

Replaces "spent" with "allocated" emphasizing a planned distribution rather than just expenditure. "Only" is replaced with "merely" changing the emphasis slightly.

it just disbursed

Uses "disbursed" which implies a formal distribution of funds, providing a subtle shift in tone and replacing "only" with "just".

its expenditure totaled

Rephrases the sentence structure to focus on "expenditure" as the subject, changing the emphasis.

it actually consumed

Replaces "spent" with "consumed", suggesting a resource usage perspective and emphasizes that the amount was less than expected by using "actually".

its outlay was limited to

Uses "outlay" which is a more formal term for expenditure, and "limited to" which clearly indicates a restriction.

the total cost amounted to

Shifts focus to the "total cost", which provides a different angle on the expenditure.

it did not exceed

Expresses the idea by stating that the spending didn't go beyond a certain limit, an indirect way of showing a restriction.

its resources usage was

Changes the focus to resource usage and quantifies it, rather than direct spending.

the funds used were

Highlights the "funds" that were employed, altering the initial focus.

a minimal amount went to

Emphasizes the insignificance of the amount spent, shifting the tone significantly.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "it only spent" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider alternatives like "it merely allocated", "its expenditure totaled", or "its outlay was limited to" depending on the context.

What does "it only spent" imply about the amount?

The phrase "it only spent" typically implies that the amount spent was less than expected or considered adequate. It can also suggest frugality or a deliberate limitation of resources.

Is there a difference between "it only spent" and "it just spent"?

While similar, "it only spent" emphasizes a limitation or restriction on spending. "It just spent" can also imply a recent action, focusing more on the timing than the amount spent.

Can I use "it only spent" when talking about time?

Yes, "it only spent" can be used when referring to time, such as "it only lasted" a week on the chart", implying a short duration.