gravy train

noun

Definition of gravy trainnext
as in bonus
something given in addition to what is ordinarily expected or owed the new tax law offers a real gravy train to certain categories of investors

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of gravy train For three generations these cities rode the sales-tax gravy train their malls produced. — Byron De Arakal, Oc Register, 3 May 2026 The most successful and lucrative family vlogs are indiscreet almost by definition—and yet the wrong kind of indiscretion can derail the whole gravy train. — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026 The Tribune reports on how the legal system is failing people who have been wrongly accused of crimes and how some unscrupulous attorneys have turned the system into a gravy train for themselves. — Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026 Establishing an entirely new and competing agency is merely the pursuit of a bureaucratic gravy train, and providing it with incentives to abuse power in order to boost its own coffers is an invitation to tyranny. — Adam Summers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gravy train
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gravy train
  1. bonus
  2. dividend
  3. gift
  4. contribution
  5. tip
  6. donation
Noun
  • The bonus points for a win eliminated van Gisbergen, who had a 31-point lead over Preece entering the regular-season finale.
    — Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Singapore is overhauling its landmark baby bonus scheme, first introduced in 2001, as the city’s fertility rate and number of births fall to record lows.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of bonus
Noun
  • Alongside earnings back in May, Nvidia announced an $80 billion buyback authorization and a quarterly dividend increase to 25 cents per share from 1 cent.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • That design philosophy has paid environmental dividends, too.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of dividend
Noun
  • Anedda’s capacity to turn perspectives around by narrating unwritten angles in the same story is her most characteristic gift.
    — Wallis Wilde-Menozzi, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
  • According to the committee’s report, Edwards invited young female staffers to dinner and strip clubs, gave them gifts, wrote them notes, and repeatedly tried to see them.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of gift
Noun
  • In the document containing questions to ask Entergy witnesses, the commissioners were pressed by the commissioners' staff to ask utility officials about the payments not being treated as a contribution in aid of construction.
    — Sydney Sasser, Arkansas Online, 1 Sep. 2026
  • However, a November 2025 McKinsey global survey found that only 39% of respondents had seen AI affect company-wide operating profit, and most of that group said the contribution remained below 5%.
    — Erum Manzoor, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of contribution
Noun
  • Inside tip Make the most of a hotel guest perk by visiting parts of Nara Prison Museum during after hours, when the daytime crowds have disappeared.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In the toothbrush head, roughly the size of a pencil tip, sit an intraoral 100k pixel micro camera, a light and a jet.
    — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of tip
Noun
  • According to the organization, the donation is the largest private donation that Rozana USA has ever received.
    — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In lieu of flowers, Parton’s family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
    — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of donation

Browse Nearby Words

gravy
gravy train
gravy trains
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gravy train.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gravy%20train. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dissonant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All