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
Dear Eric: My son is married; his wife is the chief breadwinner.
—R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
The extent of the couples’ educational gap varied—but the man was the breadwinner in most of these relationships.
—Stephanie H. Murray, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2025
Gilbert said Sanchez, whose mother is suffering from dementia, was the sole breadwinner, and has been happily married for years.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2025
Later, the woman returned to law school, passed the bar, and was hired at a firm—becoming the primary breadwinner.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for breadwinner
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R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
The extent of the couples’ educational gap varied—but the man was the breadwinner in most of these relationships.
—Stephanie H. Murray, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2025
Gilbert said Sanchez, whose mother is suffering from dementia, was the sole breadwinner, and has been happily married for years.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2025
Later, the woman returned to law school, passed the bar, and was hired at a firm—becoming the primary breadwinner.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 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 3 May. 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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