tax

1 of 3

noun

often attributive
1
a
: a charge usually of money imposed by authority on persons or property for public purposes
b
: a sum levied on members of an organization to defray expenses
2
: a heavy demand

tax

2 of 3

verb

taxed; taxing; taxes

transitive verb

1
: to levy a tax on
2
: to make onerous and rigorous demands on
the job taxed her strength
3
: charge, accuse
taxed him with neglect of duty
also : censure
4
: to assess or determine judicially the amount of (costs in a court action)
5
obsolete : to enter (a name) in a list
there went out a decree … that all the world should be taxedLuke 2:1 (King James Version)
taxable adjective
taxer noun

tax-

3 of 3

combining form

variants or taxo- or less commonly taxi-
: arrangement
taxeme
taxidermy

Examples of tax in a Sentence

Noun The decision was made to raise taxes. He was accused of evading taxes. What was your income before taxes? What is the amount of tax to be paid? What was your income before tax? Verb He believes in taxing the rich to give to the poor. You are taxed according to your income. puzzles that tax your brain
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Shreve and Speedy especially have taken swipes at each other’s past votes and proposals, including Shreve’s mayoral public safety proposal on guns and Speedy’s past votes to raise the state’s gas tax. Brittany Carloni, The Indianapolis Star, 7 May 2024 Venice has introduced a tourist tax to fund the preservation of its historic sites, and Amsterdam is limiting overnight visits, the construction of new hotels, and Airbnb listings as locals struggle with rising costs. Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2024 How much does Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party cost? Tickets range from $119 to $199 per ticket – before tax – depending on the date. Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 6 May 2024 That means donations to the group are tax deductible, like gifts to a food bank or the American Red Cross. David A. Fahrenthold, New York Times, 6 May 2024 The measure would expand the requirements necessary for a statewide tax increase, which currently can be done with a two-thirds vote of the Legislature. Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2024 State tax dollars would cover approximately 31% of the cost. Bill Lukitsch, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2024 These policies have included giving tax cuts to wealthy individuals and big corporations, cutting social programs, starving public projects of investment, and liberating industrial and financial corporations from regulatory oversight. John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2024 Along with the yacht, Handler will use the profits from the recent sale to pay tax obligations. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 25 Apr. 2024
Verb
As for the wheels, Kalmar has designed a fleet of custom vehicles specifically for taxing desert expeditions. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 25 Apr. 2024 The legislation vetoed by Kelly would tax the top bracket at 5.55% and 5.15% for the bottom bracket, with $23,000 taxable annual income serving as the dividing line between the two rates. Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2024 Meanwhile, hunting multiple days in a row is taxing on the body and mind. Will Brantley, Field & Stream, 18 Apr. 2024 In some other countries, including many European nations, corporate capital gains are taxed at the same rate as ordinary income, according to PWC. Erik Hertzberg, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2024 Frequent trading, leading to short-term gains (profits from assets held for a short period, typically less than a year), is taxed at higher ordinary income rates and may result in underperformance compared to the market. Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024 Diptych, dyad, dialectic: The relationship between the first pair of buildings Philip Johnson designed for his estate in New Canaan, Conn., has taxed the metaphorical imaginations of critics and architectural historians since the structures were completed, just months apart, in 1949. Christopher Hawthorne, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2024 In case that, you wouldn't be taxed on the gain until that time, though dividends or other income received in the meantime generally are taxable. The Arizona Republic, 13 Apr. 2024 Or allow the tribes to set up their own betting platforms and for Santa Anita to do the same — both taxed by the state, of course. Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tax.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, to estimate, assess, tax, from Anglo-French taxer, from Medieval Latin taxare, from Latin, to feel, estimate, censure, frequentative of tangere to touch — more at tangent entry 2

Combining form

Greek taxi-, from taxis

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Time Traveler
The first known use of tax was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near tax

Cite this Entry

“Tax.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tax. Accessed 10 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

tax

1 of 2 verb
1
: to require to pay a tax
2
: to accuse of something
taxed them with carelessness
3
: to make heavy demands on : strain
taxed our strength
taxer noun

tax

2 of 2 noun
1
: a charge usually of money set by authority on persons or property for public purposes
2
: something (as an effort or duty) that makes heavy demands : strain

Legal Definition

tax

1 of 2 transitive verb
1
: to assess or determine judicially the amount of (costs of an action in court)
2
: to levy a tax on
tax the corporation
tax capital gains
taxer noun

tax

2 of 2 noun
often attributive
1
: a charge usually of money imposed by legislative or other public authority upon persons or property for public purposes
2
: a sum levied on members of an organization to defray expenses
Etymology

Transitive verb

Medieval Latin taxare to assess for taxation, tax, from Latin, to assess, value, fix

More from Merriam-Webster on tax

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