gross income

noun

plural gross incomes
: all income derived from any source except for items specifically excluded by law
Calculate your monthly gross income—the amount before taxes and deductions.—Chris Kissell
Traditionally, common knowledge is that no more than 30% of a household's gross income should be spent on housing.—Aaron Marbone

Examples of gross income in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Workers earn about half of every dollar of gross income; however, much of what is counted in gross income does not accrue to anyone, said Richard DiSalvo, senior economist at the Tax Foundation. — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2026 Students are eligible if their household income is no more than 300% of their area’s median gross income. — Lara Murray-Sterzel, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026 Connecticut households may qualify for energy assistance if their annual gross income is at or below 60% of the state median income, which is $93,681 for a family of four. — Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 14 Oct. 2026 If your employee does not choose a contribution rate, the standard rate is 5% of your gross income rate. — Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gross income

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gross income was in 1800

Rhymes for gross income

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Browse Nearby Words

Grossglockner
gross income
grossly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gross income.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gross%20income. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Legal Definition

gross income

noun
: all income derived from any source except for items specifically excluded by law

Note: Section 61 of the Internal Revenue Code lists fifteen nonexclusive items that should be included in gross income. They are (1) compensation for services, including fringe benefits and commissions; (2) gross income derived from business; (3) gains derived from dealings in property; (4) interest; (5) rents; (6) royalties; (7) dividends; (8) alimony and separate maintenance payments; (9) annuities; (10) income from life insurance and contracts for endowment insurance; (11) pensions; (12) income from discharge of a debt; (13) distributive share of partnership gross income; (14) income received (as by an estate or heir) by reason of a person's death; and (15) income from an interest in an estate or trust.

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