income tax

noun

: a tax on the net income of an individual or a business

Examples of income tax in a Sentence

Federal income tax will be deducted from your pay.

The new law will lower income taxes for most taxpayers.

Recent Examples on the Web

California has the highest personal income tax rates in the nation, and even the rates that hit middle-income earners are among some of the highest. —Adam Summers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026

Jones also trumpeted his goal to phase out Georgia's income tax, but an ambitious cut withered after being scorned by Kemp, who is wrapping up his final term in office, and state House Republicans. —CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026

Support for the proposal is widespread, despite fears of losing much of the budget the wealthy already fund by pushing them out of state, and of BWT eventually expanding to everyone (as income tax did). —Robertas Bakula, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026

REITs are required to distribute most of their income and don’t have to pay the 21% federal corporate income tax on it. —Jordan Rau, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for income tax

• anticlimax
• counterattacks
• hemothorax
• mesothorax
• metathorax
• pneumothorax
• almanacs
• carrybacks
• haversacks
• lumberjacks
• maniacs
• microcracks

Kids Definition

income tax

noun

ˈin-(ˌ)kəm-

: a tax on the income of a person or business

Legal Definition

income tax

noun

: a tax on the net income of an individual or a business compare excise, property tax