wage-freeze

A company announces a wage-freeze for the next fiscal year.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A government or employer-imposed halt to increases in wages: "wage-freeze" refers to a temporary or permanent stoppage of pay raises, often implemented during economic difficulties to control inflation or reduce costs.
   • A period during which wages are not allowed to rise: The term describes a specific timeframe when salary levels are fixed and cannot be increased.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The company announced a wage-freeze for all employees due to the recession. (The employer stopped giving any pay raises.)
  • The government imposed a wage-freeze on public sector workers to curb spending. (A halt to salary increases was mandated by the authorities.)

Advanced Usage

• "to impose a wage-freeze": to officially put a halt on wage increases.

  • The central bank recommended that the government impose a wage-freeze to stabilize the economy. (To stop pay raises as a policy measure.)

• "to lift a wage-freeze": to end the restriction and allow wage increases again.

  • After two years, the union negotiated to lift the wage-freeze. (To remove the ban on pay raises.)

Variants and Related Words

• Wage (n): a fixed regular payment for work (e.g., ).
• Freeze (n/v): a halt or stoppage (e.g., , ).
• Wage-freeze is a compound noun; note that "freeze" here is not the verb but part of the compound meaning "a stoppage of wages."

Synonyms

• Pay freeze: a halt to salary increases (synonymous with wage-freeze).
• Salary cap: a limit on how much wages can increase (not identical, but related).
• Wage restraint: a voluntary or imposed limitation on wage growth.

Related Idioms

• "Put on ice": to delay or suspend something (e.g., ).
• "Hit a freeze": to encounter a sudden halt (e.g., ).

Phrasal Verbs (Related to "freeze")

• Freeze up: to stop functioning or become immobile (e.g., ).
• Freeze out: to exclude or prevent from participating (e.g., ).