purse strings

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In November, parliament voted to replace a longstanding requirement to maintain a state surplus with a new balanced-budget rule, allowing the state to loosen its purse strings.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

That’s a precarious model if middle-class Americans have to tighten their purse strings.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 17, 2026

But factors such as the flagging property market, deflation and youth unemployment have left consumers tightening their purse strings.

From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026

In recent years, consumers in the eurozone have faced multiple deterrents to loosening their purse strings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025

The policy at corporate was the Customer Is Always Right, though the customer was not usually the resident but the relatives who controlled the purse strings.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman