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

called also cost-of-living index

Examples of consumer price index in a Sentence

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.
That’s after the consumer price index for September inched up but came in below forecasts, clearing the way for the Fed to focus more on the maximum-employment side of its mandate than the inflation-fighting side. Jason Ma, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025 An automatic cost-of-living adjustment was added to Social Security benefits in 1975 that ties the adjustment to the consumer price index, meant to help benefits keep up with inflation. Corina Vanek, AZCentral.com, 25 Oct. 2025 Propelling stocks on the final day of the trading week was an encouraging read on the consumer price index for September , which was released 10 days late due to the federal government shutdown. Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2025 These payments are in part calculated by work history and income but also are adjusted every year based on the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers (CPI-W). Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Consumer price index.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consumer%20price%20index. Accessed 27 Oct. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!