1
a
: a payment usually of money for labor or services usually according to contract and on an hourly, daily, or piecework basis
—often used in plural
b
wages plural
: the share of the national product attributable to labor as a factor in production
2
: recompense, reward
—usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction
the wages of sin is death—
Romans 6:23 (Revised Standard Version)
Romans 6:23 (Revised Standard Version)
waged; waging
: to engage in or carry on
wage war
wage a campaign
: to be in process of occurring
the riot waged for several hours—Amer. Guide Series: Md.
Amer. Guide Series: Md.
Synonyms
Examples of wage in a Sentence
Noun
Both of them make decent wages.
The table and chairs cost two weeks' wages.
The company offers competitive wages and good benefits.
The company gave workers a four percent wage increase this year.
Verb
They waged a guerrilla war against the government.
Local activists are waging a campaign to end homelessness in the region.
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Recent Examples on the WebAmity Shlaes, National Review, 20 Sep. 2023
The United Auto Workers strike has entered Day 6 as union representatives and Detroit's Big Three remain at odds over wage increases.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2023
Anchorage wages are considered the baseline for measurement.
—James Brooks, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Sep. 2023
From Trump on down, the G.O.P. has spent decades siding with employers and seeking to frustrate union efforts to organize workplaces and raise wages.
—John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2023
Tuesday’s high-profile announcement also comes as Utah endures what economists say is its least affordable housing market in at least 50 years, with rents escalating far faster than wages and the median home price now measured at a record of more than six times the state’s median yearly income.
—Tony Semerad, The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 Sep. 2023
This week’s event will support the organization’s goal to raise wages in states like Michigan, Ohio and Arizona on the 2024 ballot.
—Mckinley Franklin, Variety, 19 Sep. 2023
The union is hopeful the new entry wages will attract experienced paramedics to the job, and decrease burnout and ambulance shortages.
—Courtney Astolfi, cleveland, 19 Sep. 2023
Unionized employees have accused Kaiser of unfair labor practices in bargaining and say wages offered by the health care nonprofit haven’t kept pace with inflation.
—Angela Roberts, Baltimore Sun, 18 Sep. 2023
Claire Ravenscroft, The New Republic, 21 Sep. 2023
Curry has waged a decades-long battle to receive a pension equal to 100 percent of a current day firefighter salary, instead of the disability pension he was granted, about 72 percent of his old salary.
—Danny McDonald, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Sep. 2023
After seemingly never-ending strings of bloody conflicts, humans and supernatural beings alike will wage a desperate final battle for supremacy.
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Sep. 2023
Similar fights have been waged in Boston, Miami and Chicago.
—Leanne Abraham, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2023
The strike highlighted one of the lingering enigmas of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine: Moscow has been waging war not only on a neighboring population but also on one that, like its own, is overwhelmingly made up of Orthodox Christians.
—Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2023
On one side, conservatives are waging war against ESG because it’s seen as too liberal for its focus on climate change and diversity instead of just profits.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 13 Sep. 2023
Many were waged by families in Prince George’s County.
—Celia Wren, Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2023
Parental rights — a term used as shorthand largely by conservative groups that oppose how some public schools approach race, sexuality, and gender identity — is the latest culture war being waged in New Hampshire and across the country.
—Emma Platoff, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2023
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Noun
Fain provoked this month’s historic UAW strike against automakers with his opening demand of 40 percent wage increases.
—Amity Shlaes, National Review, 20 Sep. 2023
The United Auto Workers strike has entered Day 6 as union representatives and Detroit's Big Three remain at odds over wage increases.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2023
Anchorage wages are considered the baseline for measurement.
—James Brooks, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Sep. 2023
From Trump on down, the G.O.P. has spent decades siding with employers and seeking to frustrate union efforts to organize workplaces and raise wages.
—John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2023
Tuesday’s high-profile announcement also comes as Utah endures what economists say is its least affordable housing market in at least 50 years, with rents escalating far faster than wages and the median home price now measured at a record of more than six times the state’s median yearly income.
—Tony Semerad, The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 Sep. 2023
This week’s event will support the organization’s goal to raise wages in states like Michigan, Ohio and Arizona on the 2024 ballot.
—Mckinley Franklin, Variety, 19 Sep. 2023
The union is hopeful the new entry wages will attract experienced paramedics to the job, and decrease burnout and ambulance shortages.
—Courtney Astolfi, cleveland, 19 Sep. 2023
Unionized employees have accused Kaiser of unfair labor practices in bargaining and say wages offered by the health care nonprofit haven’t kept pace with inflation.
—Angela Roberts, Baltimore Sun, 18 Sep. 2023
Verb
Denying climate change and vilifying climate activists remain powerful weapons in the fossil fuel industry’s arsenal, and the industry has worked in concert to wage international campaigns against protesters.
—Claire Ravenscroft, The New Republic, 21 Sep. 2023
Curry has waged a decades-long battle to receive a pension equal to 100 percent of a current day firefighter salary, instead of the disability pension he was granted, about 72 percent of his old salary.
—Danny McDonald, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Sep. 2023
After seemingly never-ending strings of bloody conflicts, humans and supernatural beings alike will wage a desperate final battle for supremacy.
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Sep. 2023
Similar fights have been waged in Boston, Miami and Chicago.
—Leanne Abraham, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2023
The strike highlighted one of the lingering enigmas of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine: Moscow has been waging war not only on a neighboring population but also on one that, like its own, is overwhelmingly made up of Orthodox Christians.
—Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2023
On one side, conservatives are waging war against ESG because it’s seen as too liberal for its focus on climate change and diversity instead of just profits.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 13 Sep. 2023
Many were waged by families in Prince George’s County.
—Celia Wren, Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2023
Parental rights — a term used as shorthand largely by conservative groups that oppose how some public schools approach race, sexuality, and gender identity — is the latest culture war being waged in New Hampshire and across the country.
—Emma Platoff, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, pledge, recompense, from Anglo-French wage, gage, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German wetti pledge — more at wed
Verb
Middle English, to offer surety, put up as a stake, hire, from Anglo-French *wager, gager, from wage
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Time Traveler
The first known use of wage was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing wage
Dictionary Entries Near wage
Cite this Entry
“Wage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wage. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.
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Kids Definition
wage
1 of 2 verb
waged; waging
1
: to engage in or carry on
wage war
wage a campaign
2
: to be in the process of occurring
the battle waged for several hours
wage
2 of 2 noun1
: a payment for work or services usually calculated on an hourly, daily, or piecework basis
—often used in plural
2
singular or plural
: something given or received because of one's actions : reward
Legal Definition
wage
noun1
: a payment usually of money for labor or services usually according to a contract and on an hourly, daily, or piecework basis
—often used in pl.
2
plural
: the share of the national product attributable to labor as a factor in production
More from Merriam-Webster on wage
Nglish: Translation of wage for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of wage for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wage
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