Meaning & use
durables
Last updated
“durables” is a form of “durable”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nounpluralbusinessfinance
Goods, especially household items like appliances and cars, that are expected to last a long time without needing replacement.
Grammar: Always plural in this sense; it refers to a category of products, not a single item.
Patterns
- consumer durables
- durable goods
- sales of durables
The store sells furniture, refrigerators, and other durables.
Spending on durables rose last quarter as people bought new cars.
Common combinations
- consumer durables
- Consumer durables like washing machines are often bought on credit.
- durable goods
- The report tracks orders for durable goods.
- sales of durables
- Sales of durables fell during the recession.
- spending on durables
- Spending on durables increased after the tax cut.
Synonyms and how they differ
- durable goods
- The full phrase is more formal and common in economic writing; 'durables' is a shorter, informal version.
Opposites
Word family
- durable adjective
- Lasting a long time without breaking or wearing out.
- durability noun
- The quality of being able to last a long time.
Practice
In economics, what does 'durables' refer to?
Choose one answer.
'Durables' are goods that last a long time, such as cars and appliances. Option 1 describes consumables, which are the opposite. Option 2 refers to services, not goods. Option 4 refers to materials, not finished products.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “durables”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.