wage

1 of 2

noun

ˈwāj 

1

a

: a payment usually of money for labor or services usually according to contract and on an hourly, daily, or piecework basis

—often used in plural

b

wages plural : the share of the national product attributable to labor as a factor in production

2

: recompense, reward

—usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction

… the wages of sin is death …

—Romans 6:23 (Revised Standard Version)

wageless

ˈwāj-ləs 

adjective

wage

2 of 2

verb

waged; waging

transitive verb

: to engage in or carry on

wage war

wage a campaign

intransitive verb

: to be in process of occurring

… the riot waged for several hours …

—Amer. Guide Series: Md.

Synonyms of wage

Noun

• salary

Examples of wage in a Sentence

Noun

Both of them make decent wages.

The table and chairs cost two weeks' wages.

The company offers competitive wages and good benefits.

The company gave workers a four percent wage increase this year.

Verb

They waged a guerrilla war against the government.

Local activists are waging a campaign to end homelessness in the region.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Mandalorian & Grogu production was estimated to have hired 500 crew members, 54 cast members, and 3500 background players for 92 filming days in California and was expected to generate a record-breaking $166,438,000 in qualified expenditures and below-the-line wages. —Katie Campione, Deadline, 15 May 2026

On the other side of the Hudson, New Jersey Transit slogged through a three-day strike last year in a fight also predicated on wages. —Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 15 May 2026

Verb

On top of adding Toph to their ranks, Aang and his gang will also be working to enlist more allies in the war being waged by the Fire Nation. —Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026

Adult leadership isn’t especially exciting to influencers on the populist right who revel in waging culture wars. —Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, pledge, recompense, from Anglo-French wage, gage, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German wetti pledge — more at wed

Verb

Middle English, to offer surety, put up as a stake, hire, from Anglo-French *wager, gager, from wage

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing wage

• fair wage
• honest wage
• living wage
• minimum wage
• wage earner
• wage scale
• wage slave
• wage slavery

Rhymes for wage

• age
• gauge
• phage
• plage
• rage
• stage
• alienage
• assuage
• backstage
• bocage
• downstage
• engage

Kids Definition

wage

1 of 2 verb

ˈwāj 

waged; waging

1

: to engage in or carry on

wage war

wage a campaign

2

: to be in the process of occurring

the battle waged for hours

wage

2 of 2 noun

1

: a payment for work or services usually calculated on an hourly, daily, or piecework basis

—often used in plural

2

singular or plural : something given or received because of one's actions : reward

Legal Definition

wage

noun

1

: a payment usually of money for labor or services usually according to a contract and on an hourly, daily, or piecework basis

—often used in pl.

2

plural : the share of the national product attributable to labor as a factor in production