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.
Recent Examples on the WebByryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 3 Apr. 2024
Back then, employers faced dire worker shortages, forcing them to hike wages that helped push inflation higher.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
This council can also recommend standards for fast-food worker safety and work with existing state agencies to investigate issues like wage theft.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024
Fast-food jobs are among the lowest-paying in the U.S. economy, where wages have been growing in recent years, after stagnating for decades.
—Vanessa Romo, NPR, 1 Apr. 2024
Later research examined the role of technology in wage polarization and in skewing employment growth toward low-wage service jobs.
—Steve Lohr, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024
The union is set to return to general negotiations for its 13 West Coast Locals, covering issues like wages and working conditions that span across these groups, as early as May.
—Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Mar. 2024
Buttigieg noted the port produces $2 million in wages each day for the workers who make a living there, like crane technician Steve Rehak and his two sons.
—Julia Jester, NBC News, 30 Mar. 2024
The deals generally follow the pattern set by the TV/Theatrical agreement in other respects, with 7% increases in scale wages retroactive to July 1, followed by increases of 4% and 3.5% in the subsequent years of the contract.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 23 Mar. 2024
Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
The technology, of course, became a flashpoint in the strikes waged by WGA and SAG-AFTRA.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024
But those comfy corporate media ingrates aren’t real revolutionaries waging an uprising like the intra-party conflicts among their idols Joseph Stalin, Grigory Zinoviev, Vladimir Lenin, and Leon Trotsky during Russia’s October Revolution.
—Armond White, National Review, 29 Mar. 2024
Now Barnett’s grieving family is writing the next chapter in the battle waged by the Louisiana maverick who’s arguably the most famous and credible whistleblower to challenge this fabled manufacturer.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024
After invading Ukraine two years ago, Russia is waging a full-scale war against its neighbor.
—Brian Mann, NPR, 24 Mar. 2024
Neither Putin nor the FSB publicly presented any proof of a link with Ukraine, with which Russia has been waging war for the past 25 months.
—Guy Faulconbridge, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024
Since the October 7th attacks, Israel has waged a devastating war in the Gaza Strip, which has led to the deaths of more than thirty thousand Palestinians.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2024
With the Iraq war raging in 2004, Mr. Haidt, a registered Democrat, took his dog on evening walks around Charlottesville and thought about why his party was waging such a tepid campaign against George W. Bush.
—Emma Goldberg, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2024
Noun
Wrexham’s wage bill jumped more than 70% to £6.9 million ($8.7 million) in 2023.
—Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 3 Apr. 2024
Back then, employers faced dire worker shortages, forcing them to hike wages that helped push inflation higher.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
This council can also recommend standards for fast-food worker safety and work with existing state agencies to investigate issues like wage theft.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024
Fast-food jobs are among the lowest-paying in the U.S. economy, where wages have been growing in recent years, after stagnating for decades.
—Vanessa Romo, NPR, 1 Apr. 2024
Later research examined the role of technology in wage polarization and in skewing employment growth toward low-wage service jobs.
—Steve Lohr, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024
The union is set to return to general negotiations for its 13 West Coast Locals, covering issues like wages and working conditions that span across these groups, as early as May.
—Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Mar. 2024
Buttigieg noted the port produces $2 million in wages each day for the workers who make a living there, like crane technician Steve Rehak and his two sons.
—Julia Jester, NBC News, 30 Mar. 2024
The deals generally follow the pattern set by the TV/Theatrical agreement in other respects, with 7% increases in scale wages retroactive to July 1, followed by increases of 4% and 3.5% in the subsequent years of the contract.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 23 Mar. 2024
Verb
Ukraine’s army of about one million soldiers is fighting the largest war in Europe since World War II, waged in muddy trenches or the ruins of cities in urban combat.
—Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
The technology, of course, became a flashpoint in the strikes waged by WGA and SAG-AFTRA.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024
But those comfy corporate media ingrates aren’t real revolutionaries waging an uprising like the intra-party conflicts among their idols Joseph Stalin, Grigory Zinoviev, Vladimir Lenin, and Leon Trotsky during Russia’s October Revolution.
—Armond White, National Review, 29 Mar. 2024
Now Barnett’s grieving family is writing the next chapter in the battle waged by the Louisiana maverick who’s arguably the most famous and credible whistleblower to challenge this fabled manufacturer.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024
After invading Ukraine two years ago, Russia is waging a full-scale war against its neighbor.
—Brian Mann, NPR, 24 Mar. 2024
Neither Putin nor the FSB publicly presented any proof of a link with Ukraine, with which Russia has been waging war for the past 25 months.
—Guy Faulconbridge, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024
Since the October 7th attacks, Israel has waged a devastating war in the Gaza Strip, which has led to the deaths of more than thirty thousand Palestinians.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2024
With the Iraq war raging in 2004, Mr. Haidt, a registered Democrat, took his dog on evening walks around Charlottesville and thought about why his party was waging such a tepid campaign against George W. Bush.
—Emma Goldberg, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2024
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 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
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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