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.

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Etymology

Origin of purchasing power

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

Eve symbolized beauty and promised consumers the same results through their purchasing power.

From Salon • May 17, 2026

If paychecks don’t offer the purchasing power they used to, workers may look for better-paying jobs.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

"Both give relatively positive signals about the health of discretionary spending, despite the hit to consumers' purchasing power from higher gasoline prices," said Thomas Ryan, North America economist at Capital Economics.

From BBC • May 8, 2026

The potential for stronger inflation is making investors demand higher yields to make up for the loss in a bonds’ purchasing power.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

All of my research on Muslim purchasing power indicated that if we created a product that appealed to and satisfied the needs of Muslim consumers, the company would be successful.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad