breadwinner
noun
bread·win·ner
ˈbred-ˌwi-nər 
plural breadwinners
1
: a member of a family whose wages supply the family's principal or only means of support
the main/primary/sole breadwinner in the family
… many more households have two breadwinners, making it unlikely that there will be someone home all afternoon to cook.—
Mark Bittman
Mark Bittman2
: a means (such as a tool, craft, or activity) of livelihood : a way of earning income
Crop diversity kept the overall value of Montana agriculture strong even as wheat, the state agriculture's breadwinner, faltered.—Tom Lutey
Tom LuteyCatfish farming has become the breadwinner industry for many families in west Alabama …—Robert Dewitt and Benita D. Newton
Robert Dewitt and Benita D. NewtonExamples of breadwinner in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Cartwright said her client, who was the breadwinner of his family, met the requirements.
—Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 29 Sep. 2025
Bateman and his sister, actress Justine Bateman, who also found fame early in life, became their family's breadwinners during the 1980s.
—Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 26 Sep. 2025
The family’s mediator and breadwinner, the one who carried its optimism and kept it afloat, was Bruce’s mother Adele, who worked as a legal secretary.
—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
In addition to helping run the farm, Chris Moody was a tile layer and the primary breadwinner of the Moody family.
—Regina Elling, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for breadwinner
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Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 29 Sep. 2025
Bateman and his sister, actress Justine Bateman, who also found fame early in life, became their family's breadwinners during the 1980s.
—Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 26 Sep. 2025
The family’s mediator and breadwinner, the one who carried its optimism and kept it afloat, was Bruce’s mother Adele, who worked as a legal secretary.
—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
In addition to helping run the farm, Chris Moody was a tile layer and the primary breadwinner of the Moody family.
—Regina Elling, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for breadwinner
Cite this Entry
“Breadwinner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breadwinner. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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breadwinner
noun
bread·win·ner
ˈbred-ˌwin-ər
: a person whose wages provide support for his or her family
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