breadwinner
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of breadwinner
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.
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Gomez, who is the breadwinner of his family, says his monthly supply of medication costs $1,500 a bottle.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
“It’s not surprising that families would prioritize the man being the breadwinner to make more money because families need more money” to pay for healthcare, child care and more.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
Over the same 50 years, the share of marriages in which the wife is the sole or primary breadwinner roughly tripled, from about 5% to 16%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026
Then there is Syed Haider Shah, whose son Adil - a pony rider and the family's sole breadwinner - was killed as he tried to shield tourists, guiding them away from the attackers.
From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2026
Mom continued to be the breadwinner, working in the factory while my dad recuperated from his injuries.
From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana
One is that its stars are their family’s breadwinners.
From Salon ● Mar. 21, 2026
The result: Most breadwinners still have jobs, and they are still spending.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 10, 2026
“These weren’t criminals. They worked, they were the breadwinners of their house and their families were scared without them.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2025
Most of the cast members have said they have become the breadwinners in their homes since the show premiered.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2025
Their lives are fuller and happier than those of the women of the higher classes, for they are themselves breadwinners, contributing an important part of the family revenue, and are obeyed and respected accordingly.
From Working Women of Japan by Gulick, Sidney Lewis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
