line item

noun

: an appropriation that is itemized on a separate line in a budget

Examples of line item in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
There is a line item in a lot of Gen X retirement plans that nobody writes down. Jon Sabes, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026 And as of two years ago, Medicare enrollees can find it as a line item on their doctor’s bill. Ishani Ganguli, STAT, 28 Aug. 2026 As such, while the tax was in effect, it was passed along to customers as an explicit subtotal line item at the bottom of all Playdate orders. Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026 At 56%, most have a dedicated line item for joy in their budget, compared to 46% of millennials, 32% of Gen X, and 29% of boomers. Rachel Barber, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for line item

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of line item was in 1962

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Line item.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/line%20item. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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