noun · formal
alimony
/ˈælɪməni/AL·i·mo·ny
money paid regularly by one spouse to another after divorce
Examples
“He was ordered to pay alimony to his ex-wife for five years.”
“She relied on alimony while retraining for employment.”
“Courts may award alimony depending on income and custody arrangements.”
Band 8 sentence
“Following the divorce settlement, the judge ordered him to pay alimony to ensure the children's needs were met while their mother retrained.”
Collocations
- pay alimony
- award alimony
- receive alimony
Word family
Common mistakes
He pays alimonies to his ex-wife every month.→He pays alimony to his ex-wife every month.
She got an alimentary from her husband.→She got alimony from her husband.
Say it for a higher band
5maintenance→6spousal support→7+alimony
Synonyms
spousal support
maintenance
Easily confused
spousal support
“The court awarded spousal support instead of a lump-sum payment.”
Related words
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In Family & Relationships
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