ATM

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Any source of a large amount of money.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Too often California is relegated to serving as the nation’s political ATM.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “ATM” mean?

Any source of a large amount of money.

Is “ATM” formal or informal?

ATM is generally slang.