consumer

noun

con·​sum·​er kən-ˈsü-mər 

often attributive

: one that consumes: such as

a

: one that utilizes economic goods

Many consumers shop online.

b

: an organism requiring complex organic compounds for food which it obtains by preying on other organisms or by eating particles of organic matter compare producer sense 3

consumership

kən-ˈsü-mər-ˌship 

noun

Examples of consumer in a Sentence

Many consumers are still not comfortable making purchases on the Internet.

Recent Examples on the Web

Looking beyond consumers The company does not see TRINITY as only a consumer product. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Jan. 2026

That forward-thinking approach can be attributed to late chairman Lee Kun-Hee, who pushed Samsung, one of the mega-conglomerates or chaebols that dominate South Korea’s economy, to ditch its reputation as a fast follower and compete with the best companies in consumer tech. —Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2026

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026

In contrast, the Republican attorneys general of Florida, Alabama, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi and South Carolina wrote in support of Venu Sports’ as offering consumers a new choice. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 6 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see consume

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing consumer

• anti-consumer
• consumer confidence
• consumer credit
• consumer debt
• consumer durables
• consumer goods
• consumer price index

Rhymes for consumer

• perfumer
• antitumor
• pseudotumor
• boomer
• humor
• humour
• plumer
• rumor
• rumour
• tumor
• tumour

Kids Definition

consumer

noun

con·​sum·​er kən-ˈsü-mər 

1

: one that consumes

especially : a person who buys and uses up goods

2

: a plant or animal that requires complex organic compounds for food which it obtains by preying on other living things or eating particles of organic matter compare producer sense 3

Legal Definition

consumer

noun

con·​sum·​er

: one that utilizes economic goods

specifically : an individual who purchases goods for personal use as distinguished from commercial use