core inflation

noun

economics

: a measure of inflation that excludes items having volatile prices (such as fuel and food) from the price index being used

The Federal Reserve's past emphasis on core inflation, which strips food and energy from the price indexes in order to gauge the underlying trend of prices, has always confused both Wall Street and Main Street.

—James C. Cooper

compare headline inflation

Examples of core inflation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Additionally, their median expectations for the unemployment rate in 2026 slightly decreased, while their forecast for core inflation edged up modestly. —Sarah Min, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025

Today’s numbers keep us on track for a rate cut in September, but there’s significant uncertainty after that given the strong consumer and core inflation well above the Fed’s target. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2025

Moreover, last month’s consumer price index came back cooler than feared but still hinted at underlying tension as core inflation ticked above 3%. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2025

Yet some say that with core inflation notably above 2% and rising, the Fed will postpone that decision. —Christopher Rugaber, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1979, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for core inflation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration