internal revenue

American

noun

the revenue of a government from any domestic source, usually considered to be any source other than customs.

internal revenue British

noun

government income derived from taxes, etc, within the country

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of internal revenue

An Americanism dating back to 1790–1800

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.

James Gadwood will need Senate confirmation before he can become chief counsel of the Internal Revenue Service.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026

Mencia previously faced legal woes over taxes in 2021 when the Internal Revenue Service alleged he and his wife owed more than $1.2 million in federal taxes from 2013 to 2015.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026

They are entirely determined by your “provisional income,” a calculation used by the Internal Revenue Service before deductions are applied.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 15, 2026

President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over a leaked tax-return scandal from six years ago was on the verge of an epic settlement.

From Slate • Jun. 4, 2026

“The quarterly tax payments that Savannah filed triggered an audit by the Internal Revenue Service.”

From "Lawn Boy Returns" by Gary Paulsen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023