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.
With the wealth effect from Americans’ vast holdings of stocks — at a record 250% of disposable income based on Federal Reserve flow-of-funds data — rising stock prices have been driving consumer spending.
From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026
When a larger share of income is committed to fixed costs, even similar disposable income feels more constrained.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026
"Tourism relies on people's disposable income," he explains.
From BBC • May 1, 2026
Real disposable income fell 0.1%, and savings dropped to 3.6%.
From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026
My parents never openly discussed their money struggles, but I knew we didn't have disposable income.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
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.
