Meaning & use
operating cost
The ongoing expense required to run a business, machine, or system on a day-to-day basis.
See it in a sentence
Rising fuel prices sharply increased the airline's operating costs last quarter.
The factory switched to solar power to cut its long-term operating costs.
A note on using this word
Operating costs are distinct from one-time startup expenses; they recur regularly as long as the business or system keeps running.
Words with a similar meaning
overheadrunning cost
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
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