disposable income
noun
: income that is left after paying taxes and for things that are essential, such as food and housing
I don't have enough disposable income to buy such luxuries.
Examples of disposable income in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
According to Morgan Stanley, in the U.S., adults ages 55 and older control about three-quarters of all wealth and 40% of total disposable income.
—
Lara Devgan, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Access to public water is even more essential for unhoused individuals and communities without the disposable income to purchase bottled water — and for many reasons that shouldn’t be their only option.
—Rachel Bustamante, Baltimore Sun, 28 June 2025
Most American metropolises perform well in the report’s measure of disposable income, particularly San Francisco (No. 3), Boston (No. 7), and Chicago (No. 8).
—Greg McKenna, Fortune, 27 June 2025
These chains typically cater to lower and middle-income families looking for a sit-down meal, but diners are abandoning these companies as their disposable income shrinks because of inflation.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for disposable income
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Lara Devgan, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Access to public water is even more essential for unhoused individuals and communities without the disposable income to purchase bottled water — and for many reasons that shouldn’t be their only option.
—Rachel Bustamante, Baltimore Sun, 28 June 2025
Most American metropolises perform well in the report’s measure of disposable income, particularly San Francisco (No. 3), Boston (No. 7), and Chicago (No. 8).
—Greg McKenna, Fortune, 27 June 2025
These chains typically cater to lower and middle-income families looking for a sit-down meal, but diners are abandoning these companies as their disposable income shrinks because of inflation.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for disposable income
Cite this Entry
“Disposable income.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disposable%20income. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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