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 80,000 a year

a two-income family

2

: a coming in : entrance, influx

fluctuations in the nutrient income of a body of water

Synonyms of income

• 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 change has proved costly because Venezuela lost one of its few remaining sources of legitimate income. —Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025

The Arkansas Department of Human Services has been following the federal Department of Agriculture’s recent guidance on SNAP, issuing partial benefits to 240,000 low-income Arkansans participating in the nutrition assistance program. —Arkansas Online, 11 Nov. 2025

Erica York, vice president of federal tax policy at the Tax Foundation, said that excluding those with incomes over $100,000 would mean 150 million adults still qualify for the rebates, putting the total cost at $300 billion. —Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025

So even with parking transactions flat year-on-year, the company earned more revenue thanks to higher fees and a surge in fines, which now account for 29% of total income. —Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 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