consumer price index
noun
: an index measuring the change in the cost of typical wage-earner purchases of goods and services expressed as a percentage of the cost of these same goods and services in some base period
—abbreviation CPI
called also cost-of-living index
Examples of consumer price index in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
On the economic front, inflation will take center stage next week with the release of the consumer price index on Wednesday and the producer price index on Thursday.
—
Jeff Marks, CNBC, 5 June 2026
While the consumer price index for airline fares actually fell 3.5% from 2019 to 2025 in real terms, low-cost carriers like Breeze, Frontier and JetBlue are aggressively adding capacity in markets vacated by Spirit Airlines, keeping competitive pressure on pricing even as demand grows.
—Frank Holmes, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
The parties also divvy up stadium upkeep costs, with San Diego required to pay 70% of routine ballpark operating expenses, up to a threshold that increases annually with the consumer price index.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 May 2026
Reimbursement rates are adjusted annually based on the consumer price index.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for consumer price index
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.
Jeff Marks, CNBC, 5 June 2026
While the consumer price index for airline fares actually fell 3.5% from 2019 to 2025 in real terms, low-cost carriers like Breeze, Frontier and JetBlue are aggressively adding capacity in markets vacated by Spirit Airlines, keeping competitive pressure on pricing even as demand grows.
—Frank Holmes, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
The parties also divvy up stadium upkeep costs, with San Diego required to pay 70% of routine ballpark operating expenses, up to a threshold that increases annually with the consumer price index.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 May 2026
Reimbursement rates are adjusted annually based on the consumer price index.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for consumer price index
Cite this Entry
“Consumer price index.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consumer%20price%20index. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
