# wages

/ˈweɪdʒəz/ (US) · /wˈeɪdʒɪz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wages
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. payment for work

noun · CEFR B1

the money a worker receives regularly for their work, often calculated by the hour or day.

For teachers: regular payment, typically on an hourly, daily, or weekly basis, made by an employer to an employee.

- The factory workers are demanding higher wages and better working conditions.
- Despite the increase in productivity, real wages have remained stagnant for the majority of the workforce over the last decade.

Usage: Usually plural in modern usage.

### 2. consequences

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Archaic

the result or reward of doing something, usually something bad.

For teachers: the natural or deserved consequences of an action or lifestyle.

- In the old story, the wages of greed was a life of loneliness.
- The philosopher argued that the wages of such reckless political ambition would inevitably be the collapse of the state itself.

Usage: Often takes a singular verb in this specific idiomatic context.

### 3. to carry out

verb · CEFR B2

to start and continue a war, a fight, or a campaign.

For teachers: to carry on or engage in a war, campaign, or similar organized activity.

- The government wages a constant battle against illegal fishing in these waters.
- The non-profit organisation regularly wages awareness campaigns to educate the public about the dangers of water scarcity.

Usage: Third-person singular present form of the verb 'wage'.

## Examples

- The workers are demanding higher wages for their overtime.
- Many students take part-time jobs during the summer to earn extra wages for their university fees.
- Economists argue that while nominal wages have risen, the real purchasing power of the average worker has remained stagnant due to the rising cost of living.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.