budget for: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to formal. Common in business, finance, and everyday financial planning.
Quick answer
What does “budget for” mean?
To plan and allocate money for specific expenses in advance.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To plan and allocate money for specific expenses in advance; to include an item or cost in one's financial plan.
To anticipate and make provisions for something, including non-financial resources like time or effort; to factor something into planning.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning or usage. Spelling: 'budgeted/budgeting' is standard in both, though related noun 'licence/license' differences don't apply.
Connotations
Equally neutral in both varieties. Slightly more formal than 'plan for' or 'set aside money for'.
Frequency
Equally common in business and personal finance contexts in both UK and US English.
Grammar
How to Use “budget for” in a Sentence
[Subject] + budget for + [noun phrase (expense/item)][Subject] + budget for + [verb-ing phrase][Subject] + budget for + [noun phrase] + [adverbial (e.g., in advance)]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “budget for” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Have you budgeted for the rise in the council tax?
- We need to budget for replacing the company vehicles next year.
American English
- Did you budget for the increase in property taxes?
- We need to budget for upgrading the office software next fiscal year.
adverb
British English
- She travels budget.
- They live very budget.
American English
- He flies budget.
- They live very budget-conscious.
adjective
British English
- It was a budget-friendly option.
- They offer budget-priced holidays.
American English
- It was a budget-friendly option.
- They offer budget-priced vacations.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The department must budget for a 5% increase in raw material costs next quarter.
Academic
Researchers should budget for potential delays when applying for grant funding.
Everyday
Did you budget for car insurance when you planned your monthly expenses?
Technical
The project manager budgeted for 20% contingency in the software development lifecycle.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “budget for”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “budget for”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “budget for”
- Using 'budget on' (incorrect preposition).
- Using it to mean simply 'spend' (e.g., 'We budgeted £50 on lunch' is wrong; 'We budgeted £50 for lunch' is correct).
- Confusing 'budget for' (plan) with 'save for' (accumulate money over time).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes, but it can be extended metaphorically to other resources like time (e.g., 'budget two hours for the meeting').
'Budget for' is about planning an allocation within a financial plan. 'Save for' is about the active accumulation of money over time towards a goal. You 'budget for' a monthly phone bill; you 'save for' a holiday.
Yes, as a transitive verb (e.g., 'The company budgeted £1 million'), or as a noun (e.g., 'the annual budget'). 'Budget for' specifies the purpose of the allocation.
The most common error is using the wrong preposition, particularly 'budget on'. The correct form is always 'budget for + [something]'.
To plan and allocate money for specific expenses in advance.
Budget for is usually neutral to formal. common in business, finance, and everyday financial planning. in register.
Budget for: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbʌdʒ.ɪt fɔː(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbʌdʒ.ɪt fɔːr/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Budget for a rainy day.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BUDGET as a financial BAG. You 'budget FOR' something by deciding IN ADVANCE what to PUT IN THE BAG for it.
Conceptual Metaphor
FINANCIAL PLANNING IS A CONTAINER (you put expected costs 'into' the budget container).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'budget for' correctly?