purchasing power

noun

1
: the amount of money that a person or group has available to spend
Inflation decreases consumer purchasing power.
2
: the value of money thought of as how much it can buy
a decline in the purchasing power of the dollar

Examples of purchasing power 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.
The purchasing power of the museum’s endowment has declined considerably in the last two decades. Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 19 May 2026 Workers may fear inflation, layoffs or shrinking purchasing power even beyond transportation costs. Bybryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026 Depending on your location, the market will also accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits while also offering a bonus that doubles purchasing power for fruits and vegetables. The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026 Without a corresponding increase in housing supply, the most likely long-term effect in increasing housing demand is that any purchasing power gained by buyers gets absorbed into higher prices. Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for purchasing power

Cite this Entry

“Purchasing power.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purchasing%20power. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster