income

noun

in·​come ˈin-ˌkəm 

 also  ˈin-kəm,

 or  ˈiŋ-kəm

1

: a gain or recurrent benefit usually measured in money that derives from capital or labor

also : the amount of such gain received in a period of time

has an income of $30,000 a year

2

: a coming in : entrance, influx

fluctuations in the nutrient income of a body of water

Synonyms

• revenue
• profit

Examples of income in a Sentence

Any income from investments must be reported.

Farming is his main source of income.

Even on two incomes, we're having a hard time keeping up with our bills.

He earns a good income as a consultant.

What was the company's annual income?

Recent Examples on the Web

The organization will host a Creator Summit on November 7 in Los Angeles focused on closing income gaps. —Jasmine Browley, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025

Gap closing – This determines whether students of different races, income levels and abilities are meeting state standards. —Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 15 Sep. 2025

But Parker acknowledged that the path from high school to college can still be a difficult one for low-income students, especially if their parents don’t understand the importance of postsecondary education. —Silas Allen, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Sep. 2025

Markets are supposed to be taking a view on future earnings — and oil revenue still makes over half of Saudi government income — which means the slump in Aramco’s share price is not just a bad sign for the company, but for the wider Saudi economy. —Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 1 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing income

• discretionary income
• disposable income
• income account
• income bond
• income tax
• (income) tax return
• low-income housing
• national income
• negative income tax

Rhymes for income

• become
• checksum
• humdrum
• outcome
• succumb
• therefrom
• wherefrom
• abomasum
• bum
• chum
• come
• crum

Kids Definition

income

noun

in·​come ˈin-ˌkəm 

: a gain usually measured in money that comes in from labor, business, or property

Legal Definition

income

noun

in·​come

: a gain or recurrent benefit usually measured in money that derives from capital or labor

also : the amount of such gain received in a period of time

an income of $20,000 a year