purchasing power
Americannoun
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Also called buying power. the ability to purchase goods and services.
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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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It should defend the purchasing power of the dollar.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026
EY-Parthenon chief economist Gregory Daco added: "Household budgets are coming under mounting pressure from rising inflation and a softer income backdrop, while slower wage and job growth continue to weigh on purchasing power."
From Barron's • May 28, 2026
Uncertainty surrounding the duration of the war has led consumers to delay spending, while elevated energy prices continue to dent purchasing power.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
“Higher costs are eroding household purchasing power and compressing business margins, while heightened uncertainty is dampening business confidence and investment,” the UN said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
“Mass purchasing power makes the big difference. For example, breaded veal cutlets.”
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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.
