breadwinner
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of breadwinner
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:
Gomez, who is the breadwinner of his family, says his monthly supply of medication costs $1,500 a bottle.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
“It’s not surprising that families would prioritize the man being the breadwinner to make more money because families need more money” to pay for healthcare, child care and more.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
The family is now calling for his body to be brought back to India and seeking financial assistance from the government, saying he was the household's sole breadwinner.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
In modern America, high-income households are powered not by a single breadwinner, but by two sustained professional careers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026
Ana Lucia is the only breadwinner in the household.
From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario
North Korean women, on the other hand, "are very tough and resilient", Han said, reflecting a widely-held perception of them as hardworking and resourceful breadwinners in a country where everyday life can be incredibly hard.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
One is that its stars are their family’s breadwinners.
From Salon ● Mar. 21, 2026
The result: Most breadwinners still have jobs, and they are still spending.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 10, 2026
“These weren’t criminals. They worked, they were the breadwinners of their house and their families were scared without them.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2025
More specifically these breadwinners include 218,972 farm owners and 319,346 cash farm tenants and managers.
From The Negro by Du Bois, W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt)
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.
