consumer
Americannoun
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consumers
plural
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a person or thing that consumes.
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Economics. a person or organization that uses a commodity or service.
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Ecology. an organism, usually an animal, that feeds on plants or other animals.
noun
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a person who acquires goods and services for his or her own personal needs Compare producer
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a person or thing that consumes
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(usually plural) ecology an organism, esp an animal, within a community that feeds upon plants or other animals See also decomposer producer
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A heterotrophic organism that feeds on other organisms in a food chain.
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◆ Herbivores that feed on green plants and detritivores that feed on decaying matter are called primary consumers. Carnivores that feed on herbivores or detritivores are called secondary consumers, while those that feed on other carnivores are called tertiary consumers.
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Compare producer
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of consumer
First recorded in 1375–1425, for the earlier sense “squanderer,” 1525–35 for the current sense; Middle English; consume + -er 1
Compare meaning
How does consumer compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A consumer is someone who buys or consumes, or uses up, something. An economy could not keep functioning without consumers. Long before smorgasbords, shopping malls, or eBay, people craved pretty and tasty things. So those who spoke Latin invented the word consumere, which meant to use up, eat, or waste. Being a consumer doesn't necessarily mean you are squandering. We're all consumers when we go through the checkout line at the grocery store, for instance.
Vocabulary lists containing consumer
Material World: Shopping Lingo
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Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
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Word Generation Science - Life Science
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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.
See Examples For:
“We remain focused on improving execution while continuing to navigate a housing market challenged by affordability concerns, elevated mortgage rates and inconsistent consumer confidence due to geopolitical and economic uncertainty,” he added.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
That has led to fall in supply which coupled with steady consumer demand has seen prices rise.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
It holds best for consumer applications, where consistent output matters more than leaps in quality, and worst for coding tools, where developers keep chasing the next best model.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
U.S. leading economic indicators edged higher in July as everything except consumer expectations took a turn for the better, indicating that moderate growth could be coming.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
For the consumer, it is a godsend, as he is no longer required to pay outrageous prices for music that may end up being bad.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
Veteran ticket-seekers warn, however, that consumers should always make sure they’re satisfied with locations of their hospitality-package seats.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
Walmart is “muting what was otherwise a higher price increase where consumers were feeling pressure,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
The company said it wasn’t content with its performance with consumers, which remains below market levels in both its divisions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
"But now, along with more spending power, there is improved access, distribution and product education. The internet broke these barriers, with brands leveraging the power of social media platforms and influencers to reach consumers directly."
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Kenna was sent to the market researchers because it seems as though the most accurate way to find out how consumers feel about something is to ask them directly.
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
