Bracket creep refers to the phenomenon in which inflation pushes an individual or corporation into higher tax brackets with minimal or no increase in their real income. This results in their overall tax liability increasing over time. However, there are several synonymous terms used to describe bracket creep, including tax drag, fiscal drag, and inflationary tax. Tax drag refers to the reduction of a taxpayer's income due to increased taxes, while fiscal drag is the decrease in government spending that results from a decline in economic activity. Inflationary tax, on the other hand, refers to the tax paid by taxpayers due to the effects of inflation. Regardless of the name used, the result of bracket creep is the same: taxpayers end up paying more taxes over time due to the inflationary effects on the tax system.