greenback

noun

green·​back ˈgrēn-ˌbak How to pronounce greenback (audio)
: a legal-tender note issued by the U.S. government

Examples of greenback in a Sentence

she threw a few greenbacks on the counter to pay for the drinks
Recent Examples on the Web But for the rest of the world, the greenback's resurgence is a largely unwelcome development. Chelsey Dulaney, WSJ, 2 Oct. 2023 But according to Allaire, the future isn’t so much with the physical greenback or yuan. Peter Vanham, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2023 The Taiwan dollar slid toward a seven-year low against the greenback. Bloomberg, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2023 Since July, the U.S. Dollar Index, which tracks the greenback against six other important currencies, has risen more than 5 percent. Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2023 This suggests there’s only so much support the greenback can garner from yields, the analysts say. WSJ, 18 Oct. 2023 The rouble’s value has taken a beating this year, shedding almost 30% of its worth against the greenback since January. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2023 The greenback hit a 10-month high against the yen on views that the gap between Japanese and U.S. interest rates would widen. Anna Hirtenstein, WSJ, 21 Sep. 2023 What’s more, the vast majority of the US’s advanced-economy allies, making up more than 50% of global gross domestic product, have shown little urgency in pivoting from the greenback. Michelle Jamrisko, Fortune, 2 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'greenback.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of greenback was in 1862

Dictionary Entries Near greenback

Cite this Entry

“Greenback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/greenback. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

greenback

noun
green·​back ˈgrēn-ˌbak How to pronounce greenback (audio)
: a piece of U.S. paper money
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!