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 Web
Marc Shoffman, theweek, 6 Nov. 2024
Fifty nine percent of the members of the International Association of Machinists District 751 voted to accept Boeing’s latest offer of a 38 percent wage increase along with other concessions, and return to work.
—Jerrold Lundquist, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Eladio B. Bobadilla / Made By History, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024
Various groups have threatened to wage an even more intensive campaign if the U.S. did not withdraw its forces from the country.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wage 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Higher wage bills The government also announced that the national living wage would increase by 6.7% from April 2025 to £12.21 per hour.
—Marc Shoffman, theweek, 6 Nov. 2024
Fifty nine percent of the members of the International Association of Machinists District 751 voted to accept Boeing’s latest offer of a 38 percent wage increase along with other concessions, and return to work.
—Jerrold Lundquist, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
Nativist activists were determined to take the fight elsewhere and to wage a national battle against immigrants.
—Eladio B. Bobadilla / Made By History, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024
Various groups have threatened to wage an even more intensive campaign if the U.S. did not withdraw its forces from the country.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wage
Dictionary Entries Near wage
Cite this Entry
“Wage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wage. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share