economics
Americannoun
-
economics
plural
-
(used with a singular verb) the science that deals with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, or the material welfare of humankind.
-
(used with a plural verb) financial considerations; economically significant aspects.
What are the economics of such a project?
noun
-
(functioning as singular) the social science concerned with the production and consumption of goods and services and the analysis of the commercial activities of a society See also macroeconomics microeconomics
-
(functioning as plural) financial aspects
the economics of the project are very doubtful
Discover More
Economics is sometimes referred to as the “dismal science.”
Economics is generally understood to concern behavior that, given the scarcity of means, arises to achieve certain ends. When scarcity ceases, conventional economic theory may no longer be applicable. (See affluent society.)
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of economics
Explanation
Economics studies the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services and their management. People get jobs, they make things, they sell those things, they get paid, they use that money to buy other things. Economics makes the world go round. Economics is a branch of social science. Like dueling political parties, economists also support different theories about how to best regulate the economy with government policies. Since it relates to the financial health of countries and how countries interact through trade, the relevance of economics is enormous and often the subject of the evening news. "Home Economics" is the somewhat antiquated yet still relevant notion of the management of money, food, laundry, and cleaning that keep a house running smoothly.
Vocabulary lists containing economics
Economics
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Friendship War
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Enlightenment
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
"It's a very crowded market," said Joost van Dreunen, a professor at New York University's Stern School of Business and a specialist in the economics of video games.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
Whether that money will buy new jobs or subsidize existing ones is the open question, said Patrick Button, a film and TV tax incentives skeptic and professor of economics at Tulane University.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
For now, this week’s excitement is likely to run into the cold realities of tumors and economics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
But you can ask a future employer to negotiate a buyout with your current employer, says Liyan Shi, an economics professor at Carnegie Mellon University.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
I explained to him before we started that I had very little knowledge of economics.
From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan
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.
