cash cow

noun

1
: a consistently profitable business, property, or product whose profits are used to finance a company's investments in other areas
2
: one regarded or exploited as a reliable source of money
a singer deemed a cash cow for the record label

Examples of cash cow in a Sentence

The football team was a cash cow for the university. The movie studio saw the actress as a cash cow.
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.
But the Cubs broke off to form the Marquee Sports Network in 2020, and regional sports networks, long the cash cow of pay TV, have struggled financially in recent years as cord-cutting takes its toll on the cable bundle. Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025 Until there is the kind of leadership and foresight that takes into account the benefits for the local people and the health of the mountain, nothing is going to change because the peak is a massive cash cow. Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025 The thought of cislunar space becoming a cash cow of the cosmos was heavily discussed during the Space Foundation's 40th Space Symposium, which was held here from April 7 to April 10 by the Space Foundation. Leonard David, Space.com, 17 May 2025 However, it’s been a battle for Zimbabwe to play Test cricket due to soaring financial costs associated with hosting the five-day format and reluctance from cash cows England, India and Australia to play them. Tristan Lavalette, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for cash cow

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cash cow was in 1972

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Cite this Entry

“Cash cow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cash%20cow. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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