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 
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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 1 Dec. 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
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