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
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Since then, grocery-store coffee prices have risen about 21%, according to consumer price index data. Mike Winters, CNBC, 28 Nov. 2025 Based on the consumer price index and adjusted according to market conditions, examples of planned increases include 5.1% for Priority Mail Express service, 6% for Parcel Select, 6.6% for Priority Mail service and 7.8% for USPS Ground Advantage. Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 18 Nov. 2025 Despite these increases, USPS has established that prices for certain mail services—like first-class stamps—will not change in January, as these are adjusted based on the consumer price index. Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Nov. 2025 Gasoline accounts for about 3% of the consumer price index, slightly less than the share belonging to electricity and natural gas bills — meaning that possible savings on gasoline could be more than offset by higher utility bills. Josh Boak, Fortune, 14 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for consumer price index

Word History

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of consumer price index was in 1945

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Cite this Entry

“Consumer price index.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consumer%20price%20index. Accessed 14 Dec. 2025.

Legal Definition

consumer price index

noun
consumer price in·​dex
: an index measuring the change in the cost of typical wage-earner purchases of goods and services in some base period

called also cost-of-living index

More from Merriam-Webster on consumer price index

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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