cash cow

noun

1
: a consistently profitable business, property, or product whose profits are used to finance a company's investments in other areas
2
: one regarded or exploited as a reliable source of money
a singer deemed a cash cow for the record label

Examples of cash cow in a Sentence

The football team was a cash cow for the university. The movie studio saw the actress as a cash cow.
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.
It’s been around since 1927 and holds reliable cash cows like Republic Services (RSG), Apple (AAPL), Alphabet (GOOGL), Microsoft (MSFT) and Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A). Michael Foster, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025 What better person than Musk, who is known for championing efficiency, to bring some fiscal responsibility to the fat, waddling cash cow known as college football. Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2025 Tournaments are a major cash cow for the Stars' rinks, called StarCenters. Kenny Jacoby, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2025 Ownership matters: The Broncos owners as cash cows matter. Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cash cow

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cash cow was in 1972

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Cite this Entry

“Cash cow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cash%20cow. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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