wage

1 of 2

noun

ˈwāj 

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)

wageless

ˈwāj-ləs 

adjective

wage

2 of 2

verb

waged; waging

transitive verb

: to engage in or carry on

wage war

wage a campaign

intransitive verb

: to be in process of occurring

the riot waged for several hours

—Amer. Guide Series: Md.

Synonyms

Noun

• salary

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This begs a clear question of training providers, employers, and governments: What if your workforce investment strategy was judged not by how many people enrolled, but by how many got hired with better wages after completing it? —Jason Wingard, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025

The move was meant to shore up financial support for assisted living facilities, encouraging them to raise wages for in-demand caregivers. —Cleo Krejci, jsonline.com, 8 July 2025

Verb

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pointed to the ongoing pounding of his country's cities by Russian strikes as evidence that Putin does not truly seek peace and intends to continue waging war to meet his goals until he is forced to stop. —Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025

In short, while Russia wages war on Ukraine, stealing and destroying its assets, America and its allies have been covertly funding Russia while defending Ukraine in slow motion. —Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025

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

Phrases Containing wage

• fair wage
• honest wage
• living wage
• minimum wage
• wage earner
• wage scale
• wage slave
• wage slavery

Rhymes for wage

• age
• gauge
• phage
• plage
• rage
• stage
• alienage
• assuage
• backstage
• bocage
• downstage
• engage

Kids Definition

wage

1 of 2 verb

ˈwāj 

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 hours

wage

2 of 2 noun

1

: 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

noun

1

: 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