wage

noun \ ˈwāj \

|Updated on: 20 Jun 2018

Definition of wage

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 pl. but singular or plural in construction

the wages of sin is death
—Romans 6:23 (Revised Standard Version)

—

wageless

play \ˈwāj-ləs\ adjective

See wage defined for English-language learners

Examples of wage in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples of wage from the Web

But the growth is all at the top, which is why median wage growth — the middle of the pack — remains low.

— erik sherman /, NBC News, "With more open jobs than available workers, who will fill the positions?," 14 June 2018
Alaniz confirmed the district will pay the new resource officers a $30 hourly wage, with no benefits.

— michael gonzalez, Post-Tribune, "Portage schools safety initiative expands mental health services, upends relationship with local police," 14 June 2018
Since that legislation’s passage, economic growth in the U.S. has actually slowed; consumer spending and wage growth has been tepid; and business investment, unremarkable.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Most Americans’ Wages Have Actually Declined Over the Past Year," 13 June 2018
Employers still staying at their current positions (labor turnover has remained relatively steady in recent months), even though wage growth has remained muted.

— lucinda shen, Fortune, "Discover to Offer Full-Ride Online Bachelor's Degrees," 12 June 2018
Ludwig said his experience in office has convinced him that the city should put more emphasis on attracting employers who pay their workers good wages instead of pursuing low-paying jobs.

— sven berg, idahostatesman, "Critics dislike his proposed high-rises. But colleagues like this Boise councilman," 12 June 2018
Employment hit an 18-year low of 3.8% in May. Average wage growth is widely expected to reach 3% by the end of the year.

— paul davidson, USA TODAY, "The economy is humming. So why do experts foresee a recession in 2020?," 11 June 2018
Maybe like flashing a gorgeous grin over never-frozen hamburgers at a fast food establishment known for paying its workers a living wage?

— meagan fredette, refinery29.com, "Are Nick Jonas & Priyanka Chopra Dating? This Heart Emoji Clue Says Maybe," 3 June 2018
Yet even with unemployment at an 18-year low, wage growth has been chronically sluggish in most industries, leaving many Americans still struggling to pay bills, particularly as inflation has ticked up.

— christopher rugaber, BostonGlobe.com, "US adds 223,000 jobs in May," 1 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.