purchasing power

American  

noun

1. Also called buying power.  the ability to purchase goods and services.

2. the value of money in terms of what it can buy at a specified time compared to what it could buy at some period established as a base.

   the purchasing power of the dollar.

---

Etymology

Origin of purchasing power

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

purchasing power

The rial has plunged to record lows, reaching around 2.2 million to the US dollar in recent days, while year-on-year inflation hit 89 percent for the Iranian month ending August 22, sharply eroding purchasing power.

From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026

Shein previously told the BBC that the impact of legislation targeting ultra-fast fashion would "worsen the purchasing power of French consumers, at a time when they are already feeling the impact of the cost-of-living crisis".

From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026

Meanwhile, elevated inflation continues to threaten household purchasing power.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

In their worldview, a family’s shrinking purchasing power is primarily evidence of bad character.

From Salon ● Aug. 13, 2026

The day he learned that he was terminally ill was the day he lost interest in his purchasing power.

From "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom