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real wages

American  
[ree-uhl, reel] / ˈri əl, ril /

plural noun

Economics.

  1. wages estimated not in money but in purchasing power.

real wages British  

plural noun

  1. economics wages evaluated with reference to their purchasing power rather than to the money actually paid Compare money wages

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
real wages Cultural  

  1. Wages adjusted for the prevailing level of consumer prices. (See also constant dollars.)

Etymology

Origin of real wages

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Overall, real wages rose slightly faster in the 12 months ended in January than in the prior 12 months.

From The Wall Street Journal

Americans with the lowest incomes saw their real wages fall in 2025, according to a study from the Economic Policy Institute, a think tank that analyzed census data.

From The Wall Street Journal

But it could also restore dynamism, lift productivity, raise real wages, and strengthen long-term economic growth.

From Barron's

Hassett, who is director of the National Economic Council, said that prices had fallen, inflation was lower and "real wages were up $1,400 on average last year, which means that consumers were made better off by the tariffs".

From BBC

Barr’s base case is that disruptions will be painful but temporary, with productivity gains eventually lifting real wages and supporting growth.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.