at the expense of

Meaning

(finance) Paid for by an individual or group.

(by extension, idiomatic) At one's responsibility.

(figuratively) In a way as to harm somebody or something; to the detriment of.

(figuratively, humorous) Making somebody seem foolish following a joke aimed at them.

Source: en.wiktionary.org

Synonyms

at the cost of covered by to the detriment of in order to harm with the loss of at the price of financed by in a way that harms in order to cause harm to paid for by so as to cause harm to so as to harm to cause harm to to harm to the disadvantage of
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Antonyms

for in support of for the sake of to help for the good of so as to be useful to
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Examples

Be advised that all flatterers live at the expense of those who listen to them. Jean de La Fontaine

The state is the great fictitious entity by which everyone seeks to live at the expense of everyone else. Frédéric Bastiat

Raillery is a mode of speaking in favor of one's wit at the expense of one's better nature. Montesquieu

A sure way to lose happiness, I found, is to want it at the expense of everything else. Bette Davis

The price of a laugh is too high, if it is raised at the expense of another. Dutch Proverb

You can never be happy at the expense of the happiness of others. Chinese Proverb

Words in the phrase

at the expense of

Close letter words and terms

at the exact time specified at the exchange at the expense at the extreme point of at the extremities at the eye