durable goods

American  

plural noun

1. goods, as household appliances, machinery, or sports equipment, that are not consumed or destroyed in use and can be used for a period of time, usually three or more years.

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durable goods British  

plural noun

1. Also called: durables.  goods, such as most producer goods and some consumer goods, that require infrequent replacement. Compare disposable goods , perishables

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durable goods Cultural  

1. Manufactured products capable of long utility, such as refrigerators and automobiles.

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Etymology

Origin of durable goods

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Buying conditions for durable goods and cars worsened.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

Also due are durable goods figures for February on Tuesday, followed by the third estimate of fourth-quarter gross domestic product and PCE inflation data for February on Thursday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Prices of imported durable goods rose 1.3% from January through November, according to analysis by the Yale Budget Lab, well below what many economists had predicted.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 28, 2026

December durable goods orders fell 1.4%, but that was essentially in line with consensus call.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

Continued control of consumer credit will help to reduce the pressure on prices of durable goods and will also prolong the period during which the backlog demand will be effective.

From State of the Union Address by Truman, Harry S.

Related Words

• consumer durables
• consumer goods