breadwinner
noun
bread·win·ner
ˈbred-ˌwi-nər 
plural breadwinners
1
: a member of a family whose wages supply the family's principal or only means of support
the main/primary/sole breadwinner in the family
… many more households have two breadwinners, making it unlikely that there will be someone home all afternoon to cook.—
Mark Bittman
Mark Bittman2
: a means (such as a tool, craft, or activity) of livelihood : a way of earning income
Crop diversity kept the overall value of Montana agriculture strong even as wheat, the state agriculture's breadwinner, faltered.—Tom Lutey
Tom LuteyCatfish farming has become the breadwinner industry for many families in west Alabama …—Robert Dewitt and Benita D. Newton
Robert Dewitt and Benita D. NewtonExamples of breadwinner in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Women who live longer are increasingly the primary breadwinners, and often inherit from spouses and parents, and are expected to control two-thirds of that wealth by 2030, totaling more than $30 trillion in U.S. assets alone.
—Shelley Zalis, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Black women, who often serve as both the breadwinners and caretakers in their families, need culturally competent, politically informed and financially sound guidance.
—Jehan Crump‑gibson, Essence, 10 July 2025
But the family breadwinner and father of three — who owns a Livermore home and worked side jobs on top of his Wente Vineyards gig — says bills are stacking up.
—Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 18 June 2025
Juan Carlos Delgado is the sole breadwinner for his household, which includes Jessica Delgado and her pregnant sister.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for breadwinner
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Shelley Zalis, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Black women, who often serve as both the breadwinners and caretakers in their families, need culturally competent, politically informed and financially sound guidance.
—Jehan Crump‑gibson, Essence, 10 July 2025
But the family breadwinner and father of three — who owns a Livermore home and worked side jobs on top of his Wente Vineyards gig — says bills are stacking up.
—Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 18 June 2025
Juan Carlos Delgado is the sole breadwinner for his household, which includes Jessica Delgado and her pregnant sister.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for breadwinner
Cite this Entry
“Breadwinner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breadwinner. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
breadwinner
noun
bread·win·ner
ˈbred-ˌwin-ər
: a person whose wages provide support for his or her family
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