disposable income
Americannoun
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the part of a person's income remaining after deducting personal income taxes.
-
(in national income accounting) the total disposable income of all consumers.
noun
-
the money a person has available to spend after paying taxes, pension contributions, etc
-
the total amount of money that the individuals in a community, country, etc, have available to buy consumer goods
Etymology
Origin of disposable income
First recorded in 1945–50
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He expressed confidence that the retail group’s “North Star” transformation strategy can succeed, despite headwinds such as inflation hitting consumers’ disposable income.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Relative poverty means a household has disposable income after housing costs below 60% of the UK median, adjusted for family size and composition.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
United flyers have disposable income and want to spend on experiences, even as prices rise due to higher fuel costs, CFO Mike Leskinen says during a Morgan Stanley conference.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
Over time, bonuses and raises add up, and the trick is to avoid lifestyle creep as your disposable income increases, Grant said.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
My parents never openly discussed their money struggles, but I knew we didn't have disposable income.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
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