greenback

noun

green·​back ˈgrēn-ˌbak How to pronounce greenback (audio)
: a legal-tender note issued by the U.S. government

Examples of greenback in a Sentence

she threw a few greenbacks on the counter to pay for the drinks
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.
Supply and demand boosts the greenback, and then our foreign purchases become somewhat cheaper. Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025 Analysts stated that the greenback’s performance hinges on the outcome of the U.S.-China standoff, which hasn’t seen much progress in recent weeks. George Lei and Anya Andrianova, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025 In that case, Asian economies would have to accept that their currencies would inevitably appreciate against the greenback and their exports would be affected, too. Juliana Liu, CNN Money, 6 May 2025 The dollar has lost about 9% of its value since Mr. Trump's inauguration, according to the U.S. dollar index, which compares the value of the greenback against a basket of foreign currencies. Alain Sherter, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for greenback

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of greenback was in 1862

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Greenback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/greenback. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

greenback

noun
green·​back ˈgrēn-ˌbak How to pronounce greenback (audio)
: a piece of U.S. paper money
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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