line item

noun

: an appropriation that is itemized on a separate line in a budget
line-item adjective

Examples of line item in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
See a few top planners’ not-so-favorite line items ahead. Shelby Wax, Vogue, 31 Jan. 2025 There's no budget line item to pay people who are not showing up for work. Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025 That’s something that’s going to be a big line item. Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2025 Like compound interest, our seemingly minor but consistent deposits compound over time into a resource more valuable than any line item on our balance sheet. David A. Naylor, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for line item 

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of line item was in 1962

Dictionary Entries Near line item

Cite this Entry

“Line item.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/line%20item. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!