consumer
kuhn-SYOO-muh
Consumer (noun) means a person who buys goods or services for personal use. Example: “Rising prices have made consumers more cautious about spending.”
noun
1
A person who buys goods or services for personal use.
"Rising prices have made consumers more cautious about spending."
"The law protects consumers from misleading advertising."
"Consumers can usually return faulty goods within a reasonable time."
2
Biology: an organism that eats other organisms to get energy.
"Deer are primary consumers that feed directly on plants."
"Lions are consumers at the top of the food chain."
"A caterpillar is a consumer, since it eats the leaves of living plants."
How to use consumer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone who buys and uses products, or (in biology) an organism that eats others.
Common pairings
consumer confidence
consumer rights
average consumer
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Word forms
- Plural
- consumers
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Rising prices have made _____ more cautious about spending.
Etymology
From consume + the agent-forming suffix -er.
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “consumer” mean?
The word “consumer” means a person who buys goods or services for personal use. In plain terms, someone who buys and uses products, or (in biology) an organism that eats others.
How do you pronounce “consumer”?
“Consumer” is pronounced kuhn-SYOO-muh (/kənˈsumɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “consumer” in a sentence?
Here is “consumer” used in a sentence: “Rising prices have made consumers more cautious about spending.”
What part of speech is “consumer”?
“Consumer” is a noun.
Is “consumer” a common word?
“Consumer” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “consumer” have?
“Consumer” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person who buys goods or services for personal use.
What is the difference between a consumer and a customer?
A customer is anyone who buys a product or service, while a consumer is the person who actually uses it. They are often the same, but not always — a parent who buys cereal is the customer, and the child who eats it is the consumer. Businesses distinguish the two when planning marketing and sales.
What is the difference between a consumer and a producer?
A producer makes or supplies goods and services; a consumer buys and uses them. Together they form the basic cycle of an economy — producers create value and consumers spend money on it. Every person is a consumer, and many are producers too, depending on which side of a transaction they are on.
What are the types of consumers?
In everyday marketing, consumers are often grouped by behaviour: loyal customers, bargain hunters, impulse buyers, and needs-based shoppers. In biology the word means something quite different — organisms that feed on others. As a buyer, though, a consumer is simply anyone purchasing goods or services for personal use rather than for resale.
Why are consumers important?
Consumers drive the economy. Their spending decisions determine which products succeed, which businesses grow, and where money flows. Because demand from consumers shapes supply, companies invest heavily in understanding what people want. Consumer confidence is also a key economic indicator, since willingness to spend signals the overall health of an economy.
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