line item

noun

: an appropriation that is itemized on a separate line in a budget
line-item adjective

Examples of line item in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Others were stunned by individual line items. Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026 In governance terms, that omission matters more than any individual line item in either proposal. Mark Desjardine, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026 The Department of Public Utilities has started conducting a line item-review of customers' bills. Neal Riley, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2025 Beginning with 2026, employers will have to break out qualified overtime compensation as a separate line item by law. Susan Tompor, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for line item

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of line item was in 1962

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Line item.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/line%20item. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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