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.
Frito-Lay was PepsiCo’s cash cow, generating money for the beverage division to spend, employees said. Wire Tbd, Dallas Morning News, 8 Apr. 2026 Frito-Lay was PepsiCo’s cash cow, generating money for the beverage division to spend, employees said. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026 Because many schools see master’s degree programs as cash cows that enhance their tenuous coffers. James Cramer, Baltimore Sun, 11 Mar. 2026 Marijuana sales, however, are a cash cow in Massachusetts. Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 3 Mar. 2026 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 15 Apr. 2026.

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