purchasing power
noun
1
: the amount of money that a person or group has available to spend
Inflation decreases consumer purchasing power.
2
: the value of money thought of as how much it can buy
a decline in the purchasing power of the dollar
Examples of purchasing power in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Economist’s Big Mac index—which tracks the price of a McDonald’s Big Mac burger in different countries—has also been used as an informal measure of purchasing power parity around the world.
—
Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 18 Nov. 2025
The purchasing power dropped by about $3,000 under Joe Biden because the wages didn't keep up with prices.
—ABC News, 16 Nov. 2025
Increase purchasing power for high-demand items (fresh produce, proteins, shelf-stable staples) through OneGenAway’s bulk buying and food rescue partnerships.
—Gabrielle Chenault, Nashville Tennessean, 10 Nov. 2025
Housing costs have skyrocketed in the years following the outbreak of the pandemic, and mortgage rates have hovered between 6 percent and 7 percent since 2022, chipping away at Americans’ purchasing power.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for purchasing power
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.
Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 18 Nov. 2025
The purchasing power dropped by about $3,000 under Joe Biden because the wages didn't keep up with prices.
—ABC News, 16 Nov. 2025
Increase purchasing power for high-demand items (fresh produce, proteins, shelf-stable staples) through OneGenAway’s bulk buying and food rescue partnerships.
—Gabrielle Chenault, Nashville Tennessean, 10 Nov. 2025
Housing costs have skyrocketed in the years following the outbreak of the pandemic, and mortgage rates have hovered between 6 percent and 7 percent since 2022, chipping away at Americans’ purchasing power.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for purchasing power
Cite this Entry
“Purchasing power.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purchasing%20power. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share