sales tax

American  

noun

1. a tax on receipts from sales, usually added to the selling price by the seller.

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sales tax British  

noun

1. a tax levied on retail sales receipts and added to selling prices by retailers

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Etymology

Origin of sales tax

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

The supervisors voted 4-1 to put the sales tax on the ballot.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

Miami residents get all this because of—not in spite of—zero state income taxes, zero estate taxes, a manageable 7% sales tax, and reasonable property taxes and corporate taxes.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Faced with dramatic federal funding cuts, the county supervisors are putting a half-cent sales tax on the ballot.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

Merchants paid about $500 million in interchange on sales tax in Illinois in 2024, including both debit and credit cards, according to data from payments consulting firm CMSPI.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

Meanwhile, Jake scanned the next customer’s items and did the math in his head, remembering to add sales tax to all non-food items.

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein