real wages

American  

[ree-uhl, reel] / ˈri əl, ril /

plural noun

Economics.

1. wages estimated not in money but in purchasing power.

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real wages British  

plural noun

1. economics wages evaluated with reference to their purchasing power rather than to the money actually paid Compare money wages

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real wages Cultural  

1. Wages adjusted for the prevailing level of consumer prices. (See also constant dollars.)

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Etymology

Origin of real wages

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Consumer spending, two-thirds of US GDP, is pressured by falling real wages; AI enthusiasm also appears shaky.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

Americans with the lowest incomes saw their real wages fall in 2025, according to a study from the Economic Policy Institute, a think tank that analyzed census data.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

Barr’s base case is that disruptions will be painful but temporary, with productivity gains eventually lifting real wages and supporting growth.

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

These range from the slowing economy, rising labor-market slack and stagnant real wages to the disinflationary — or deflationary — effect of artificial intelligence.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 5, 2026

Then she would be free to go or stay, work for "real wages" for this mistress, or engage herself to another.

From The Brass Bound Box by Horne, Diantha W.

Related Words

• net income