income

noun

in·​come ˈin-ˌkəm How to pronounce income (audio)
also ˈin-kəm
or ˈiŋ-kəm
Synonyms of income
1
: a gain or recurrent benefit usually measured in money that derives from capital or labor
also : the amount of such gain received in a period of time
has an income of 80,000 a year
a two-income family
2
: a coming in : entrance, influx
fluctuations in the nutrient income of a body of water

Synonyms of income

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of income in a Sentence

Any income from investments must be reported. Farming is his main source of income. Even on two incomes, we're having a hard time keeping up with our bills. He earns a good income as a consultant. What was the company's annual income?
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.
The fact is, the bill helps to preserve Medicaid for those who need it most, including low-income families, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable populations. — Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026 But median household income for that area rose only to $99,800 in 2024 from $75,500 in 2019, according to The Post’s analysis. — Amy L. Wong, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026 That tax—which taxes income, not wealth—charges an additional four per cent on incomes above a million dollars, and its revenues are earmarked for transportation and education. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026 The measure would levy an annual parcel tax in Pasadena of 19 cents per square foot of improved property, with exemptions for low-income homeowners. — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for income

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of income was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing income

Rhymes for income

See All Rhymes for income

Browse Nearby Words

incombustible
income
income account
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Income.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/income. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

income

noun
in·​come ˈin-ˌkəm How to pronounce income (audio)
: a gain usually measured in money that comes in from labor, business, or property

Legal Definition

income

noun
in·​come
: a gain or recurrent benefit usually measured in money that derives from capital or labor
also : the amount of such gain received in a period of time
an income of $20,000 a year

More from Merriam-Webster on income

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about income

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All