Meaning & use
take-home pay
Last updated
UK/ˈteɪk həʊm peɪ/
US/ˈteɪk hoʊm peɪ/
Meaning
noununcountable
The money an employee actually receives after taxes and other deductions are removed.
Grammar: No plural; contrast with gross pay, which is the amount before deductions.
Patterns
- take-home pay of
- monthly take-home pay
- live on take-home pay
Her gross salary looks high, but her take-home pay is much lower.
They budgeted rent and food from monthly take-home pay.
Common combinations
- monthly take-home pay
- Monthly take-home pay covers rent, food, and transit.
- increase take-home pay
- Cutting deductions would increase take-home pay slightly.
- live on take-home pay
- It is hard to live on take-home pay during unpaid leave.
Synonyms and how they differ
- net pay
- Net pay is essentially the same amount after deductions.
- net salary
- Net salary is common for regular salaried workers; take-home pay can include any earnable pay.
- disposable income
- Disposable income is broader: money left after essentials can also be considered.
Opposites
gross paygross salary
Word family
- take-home adjective
- Relating to what remains after deductions, as in take-home message.
Commonly confused: take-home pay or gross pay?
take-home pay vs gross pay
Gross pay is before deductions; take-home pay is what reaches your bank account.
Practice
After tax and insurance are deducted, the money left is your ___.
Choose one answer.
The definition is money received after deductions, which is take-home pay. Gross pay is the tempting opposite because it is the amount before deductions.
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