incurred
C1Formal to neutral; commonly used in business, legal, financial, and administrative contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To become subject to or bring upon oneself something unwelcome or unpleasant, typically as a result of one's actions.
To become liable or subject to an obligation, cost, penalty, or consequence.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
"Incurred" is the past simple and past participle form of "incur." It implies causality: the subject's action is the direct reason for the negative or burdensome consequence. It often relates to abstract liabilities (costs, debts, anger, losses) rather than physical objects.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. Spelling of related words may differ (e.g., 'incurred' vs. 'incurred' - no difference, but 'cost incurred' vs. 'cost incurred' remains identical).
Connotations
Slightly more frequent in British formal and official documents, but equally standard in American English.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both varieties within formal registers.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[subject] incurred [object (cost/debt/penalty)][subject] incurred [object] by [gerund/-ing clause][subject] incurred [object] as a result of [noun phrase]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “incur the wrath of”
- “incur a heavy penalty”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used for financial obligations: 'All costs incurred during the project will be reimbursed.'
Academic
Used in discussions of consequences or liabilities: 'The regime incurred widespread international condemnation.'
Everyday
Less common, but possible: 'By parking there, you'll incur a fine.'
Technical
Used in legal, accounting, and insurance contexts to denote formal liability.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The company incurred significant losses last quarter.
- He incurred her displeasure by forgetting the appointment.
American English
- The hospital incurred huge expenses upgrading its equipment.
- You will incur a late fee if payment is delayed.
adverb
British English
- Costs were knowingly incurred by the management.
- The debt was voluntarily incurred.
American English
- The penalty was rightfully incurred due to negligence.
- Expenses were legitimately incurred during business travel.
adjective
British English
- The incurred costs must be documented.
- All incurred liabilities were listed in the report.
American English
- The total incurred expense was higher than budgeted.
- The policy covers incurred medical costs.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- If you break the rules, you will incur a penalty.
- The trip incurred extra costs we didn't expect.
- The project incurred substantial delays due to bad weather.
- By criticising the policy, he incurred the anger of his superiors.
- The government incurred public wrath by raising taxes abruptly.
- Any expenses incurred in the performance of your duty will be reimbursed by the firm.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: IN + CUR (like 'currency' or 'curse'). You go INto a situation and get a CURse of costs or consequences.
Conceptual Metaphor
BURDEN/DEBT AS A PHYSICAL LOAD. Incurring a cost is metaphorically 'taking on a weight' or 'acquiring a negative entity.'
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating directly as 'получил' (got/received) as it misses the negative/liability aspect. Better: 'понес (расходы)', 'навлечь (на себя)', 'подвергнуться (штрафу)'.
- Do not confuse with 'occurred' (произошел).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'incurred' for positive gains (incorrect: 'He incurred a great reward').
- Misspelling as 'incured' (missing the double 'r').
- Using the wrong preposition (e.g., 'incurred to a cost' instead of 'incurred a cost').
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'incurred' used CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes. It almost always refers to burdens, costs, debts, penalties, or negative reactions. Using it for positive gains (e.g., 'incurred a benefit') is atypical and generally incorrect.
'Incurred' means 'became subject to' and requires a cause (an agent). 'Occurred' means 'happened' and is used for events without specifying a causing agent. A cost is incurred; an accident occurs.
The base form is 'incur.' 'Incurred' is the past tense and past participle. For present actions, use 'incur' or 'incurs.' Example: 'This action will incur costs.' / 'This action incurs costs.'
In attributive use (before a noun), use the past participle 'incurred.' Correct: 'incurred costs,' 'costs incurred.' 'Cost incur' is grammatically incorrect.