primary expense

USAGE SUMMARY

"primary expense" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when referring to the most important or most significant expense. For example, "The primary expense of the project was the cost of materials."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

The league's primary expense is player salaries.

The New York Times

Nineteen states were spending more than they had budgeted, with Medicaid the primary expense, and seven other states predicted that overspending was likely.

The New York Times

The subscription model is a print business model, a model that presumes that the primary expense in producing a journal is in printing and shipping.

University of California, Berkeley

The group has spent roughly £1,500 on the campaign in the past three years – with the printing of factsheets and letters their primary expense.

Independent

He was the first to identify software as the primary expense of future computer systems, he developed COCOMO, the spiral model, and pedegogy.

Springer

For many of the largest nonprofits, fundraising is a primary expense.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Their mortgage, about $650 a month, health insurance and land taxes are their primary expenses.

The New York Times

I didn't pore over every bill, I just rounded off all our primary expenses, and multiplied each one by 12 (we spent about $8,400 on health insurance, $9,600 on our mortgage and home equity loan, $7,200 on groceries and household items, and so forth).

The New York Times

Unlike Mr. Bloomberg, who is financing his campaign with a piece of his own fortune, the Democrats have only $2 million to $3 million to spend on television because they are honoring a $5.5 million spending cap on their overall primary expenses in return for help from the city to pay for their campaigns.

The New York Times

"The classification of some general election expenses as primary expenses is a reporting error, and will be fixed on the next report," said Mac Zilber, a Hall campaign consultant.

Los Angeles Times

The primary expenses incurred will be marketing and payroll.

Bplans

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing project budgets, clearly identify the "primary expense" to highlight where the majority of funds are allocated. This helps stakeholders understand cost drivers.

Common error

While identifying the "primary expense" is crucial, don't ignore smaller, indirect costs that can accumulate and impact the overall budget. A comprehensive analysis includes all expenses, not just the largest one.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "primary expense" functions as a noun phrase that identifies the most significant or fundamental cost associated with a project, activity, or budget. It is used to highlight the area where the largest portion of resources is being allocated, as seen in the Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

10%

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "primary expense" is a grammatically sound and commonly used term to denote the most significant cost in a given context. According to Ludwig, it's versatile enough for use in news, scientific, and formal business environments. While it's often interchangeable with phrases like "main cost" or "major expenditure", remember that "primary expense" emphasizes the fundamental nature of the cost. When using this phrase, be sure to consider not only the largest direct expenses but also potentially overlooked indirect costs for a comprehensive financial assessment.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

main cost

Focuses on the cost aspect as being the main one.

major expenditure

Highlights the spending as significant or large.

principal outlay

Emphasizes the initial investment or expense.

chief expense

Highlights the expense as being the most important.

biggest financial burden

Shifts the focus to the burden aspect of the expense.

largest cost component

Breaks down "expense" into a component of a larger financial structure.

dominant expense

Highlights the most influential or controlling expense.

critical expense

Highlights the importance of the expense.

essential cost

Stresses the necessary nature of the cost.

foremost expense

Emphasizes that the expense is the most prominent.

FAQs

How can I use "primary expense" in a sentence?

You can use "primary expense" to identify the most significant cost within a budget or project. For example, "The "primary expense" for the new marketing campaign was advertising."

What's a good alternative to "primary expense"?

Depending on the context, you could use "main cost", "major expenditure", or "chief expense" as alternatives.

Is it more accurate to say "primary expense" or "biggest expense"?

Both are valid, but "primary expense" implies a fundamental or essential cost, whereas "biggest expense" simply refers to the largest monetary amount. The better choice depends on the specific context.

What are some strategies for managing the "primary expense" in a project?

Strategies include negotiating better rates with suppliers, finding alternative materials, streamlining processes to reduce labor costs, and carefully planning resource allocation.