discretionary income
noun
: income that is left after paying for things that are essential, such as food and housing
She has enough discretionary income to pay for a nice vacation each year.
Examples of discretionary income in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Only buy tickets with discretionary income.
—
Charles Trepany, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
The company faces a range of existential challenges, including its heavy mall footprint, its small online business and a core consumer that often has less discretionary income than the core Dick’s consumer.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2025
These transplants would demand good restaurants and culture, and would have the discretionary income to support such endeavors.
—Tad Weber, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2025
This is a nod to rising prices and a way to attract customers who have less discretionary income to spend.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discretionary income
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Charles Trepany, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
The company faces a range of existential challenges, including its heavy mall footprint, its small online business and a core consumer that often has less discretionary income than the core Dick’s consumer.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2025
These transplants would demand good restaurants and culture, and would have the discretionary income to support such endeavors.
—Tad Weber, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2025
This is a nod to rising prices and a way to attract customers who have less discretionary income to spend.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discretionary income
Cite this Entry
“Discretionary income.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discretionary%20income. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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