internal revenue

American

noun

the revenue of a government from any domestic source, usually considered to be any source other than customs.

internal revenue British

noun

government income derived from taxes, etc, within the country

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of internal revenue

An Americanism dating back to 1790–1800

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.

The 10% early withdrawal penalty is called a tax by the Internal Revenue Service and the rule of 55 has been around for decades.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 14, 2026

The Internal Revenue Service’s Form 990 details a nonprofit’s revenue, expenses and executive compensation.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026

President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over a leaked tax-return scandal from six years ago was on the verge of an epic settlement.

From Slate • Jun. 4, 2026

But between 2018 and 2020, an Internal Revenue Service contractor leaked a large number of wealthy Americans’ tax returns to the media, and Trump’s was among them.

From Salon • May 25, 2026

Internal Revenue Service was making its displeasure known to UBS.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023