duty-free

adjective or adverb

ˌdü-tē-ˈfrē How to pronounce duty-free (audio)
ˌdyü-
ˈd(y)ü-tē-ˌfrē
1
: without payment of customs duties : free from duties
imported duty-free
duty-free goods
2
: relating to or selling duty-free goods
a duty-free shop

Examples of duty-free in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
By contrast, duty-free access to the EU market continues to support price premiums for comparable products. Assef Shaikh, Footwear News, 2 Apr. 2026 Kanabar also notes that the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which provided duty-free access to US consumers, had its challenges. Ezreen Benissan, Vogue, 2 Apr. 2026 Beef is allowed to enter the country duty-free despite tariffs. Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026 Before August 2025, Americans could import packages valued under $800 duty-free — a provision that had quietly powered the rise of online shopping and direct-to-consumer retail. Jay Caruso, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for duty-free

Word History

First Known Use

1689, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of duty-free was in 1689

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Cite this Entry

“Duty-free.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/duty-free. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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