gouged; gouging
1
: to scoop out with or as if with a gouge (see gouge entry 1 sense 1)
2
a
: to force out (an eye) with the thumb
b
: to thrust the thumb into the eye of
3
: to make (someone) pay too much for something : overcharge
gouger
noun
Synonyms
Examples of gouge in a Sentence
Noun
The accident left a big gouge in the side of the car.
Verb
The lamp fell and gouged the table.
A bomb had gouged a large crater in the street.
They feel that they are being gouged by the oil companies.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 25 Mar. 2024
There was a time when those gouges were a source of pride.
—Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2023
For too long, career politicians have stood by while corporate special interests write our health policy, which has allowed Big Insurance to restrict us with networks and Big Pharma to price gouge us year after year.
—David Lightman, Sacramento Bee, 5 Feb. 2024
Fill any dents, scratches, or gouges with wood filler.
—Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 2 Jan. 2024
That's how Julius Caesar ended up with knives in his body, and Succession ended with the Roy children puncturing each other with the vilest insults (and eye gouges).
—Keith Nelson, Men's Health, 6 Aug. 2023
Small gouges from the brick and broken glass are still visible on the windowsill.
—David Enrich, New York Times, 6 June 2023
Use a gouge or rotary tool ($50, The Home Depot) to etch large sections.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Oct. 2022
But on Mars, those plumes will tear deep gouges in the terrain below, exactly where the lander aims to set down, says Matt Kuhns, former chief engineer at Masten Space Systems.
—Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, 8 May 2023
Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
For a Hispanic kid who grew up in Broncos Country, still bleeds orange and admits every interception by quarterback Russell Wilson is a temptation to gouge his eyes, carrying a microphone is more than a job.
—Mark Kiszla, The Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2024
Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, accused corporations of gouging consumers as prices began to spike in 2021.
—Jim Tankersley, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2024
But the Chiefs planned to use Gay to spy on Allen, who gouged them with his feet, and will likely have him in the same role against Jackson this week.
—Dave Skretta, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2024
Business: Consumers are not the only segment gouging themselves on debt.
—Robert Barone, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024
To the left of the falls, gouged halfway up the cliff face, was a cave.
—Peter Heller, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2024
The presenter shows a manatee bone gouged by a propeller; the average age of manatees killed by watercraft is just seven years.
—Robin Soslow, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
Carrefour has started marking its shelves with signs detailing the degree of shrinkage and how much consumers were getting gouged on prices.
—Liz Alderman, New York Times, 4 Jan. 2024
Noun
Wyatt Jay Charles Brooks is recovering at home from cuts and gouges to his face and neck.
—Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 25 Mar. 2024
There was a time when those gouges were a source of pride.
—Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2023
For too long, career politicians have stood by while corporate special interests write our health policy, which has allowed Big Insurance to restrict us with networks and Big Pharma to price gouge us year after year.
—David Lightman, Sacramento Bee, 5 Feb. 2024
Fill any dents, scratches, or gouges with wood filler.
—Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 2 Jan. 2024
That's how Julius Caesar ended up with knives in his body, and Succession ended with the Roy children puncturing each other with the vilest insults (and eye gouges).
—Keith Nelson, Men's Health, 6 Aug. 2023
Small gouges from the brick and broken glass are still visible on the windowsill.
—David Enrich, New York Times, 6 June 2023
Use a gouge or rotary tool ($50, The Home Depot) to etch large sections.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Oct. 2022
But on Mars, those plumes will tear deep gouges in the terrain below, exactly where the lander aims to set down, says Matt Kuhns, former chief engineer at Masten Space Systems.
—Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, 8 May 2023
Verb
But climate change should not be a free pass for gouging consumers, Chabria said.
—Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
For a Hispanic kid who grew up in Broncos Country, still bleeds orange and admits every interception by quarterback Russell Wilson is a temptation to gouge his eyes, carrying a microphone is more than a job.
—Mark Kiszla, The Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2024
Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, accused corporations of gouging consumers as prices began to spike in 2021.
—Jim Tankersley, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2024
But the Chiefs planned to use Gay to spy on Allen, who gouged them with his feet, and will likely have him in the same role against Jackson this week.
—Dave Skretta, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2024
Business: Consumers are not the only segment gouging themselves on debt.
—Robert Barone, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024
To the left of the falls, gouged halfway up the cliff face, was a cave.
—Peter Heller, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2024
The presenter shows a manatee bone gouged by a propeller; the average age of manatees killed by watercraft is just seven years.
—Robin Soslow, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
Carrefour has started marking its shelves with signs detailing the degree of shrinkage and how much consumers were getting gouged on prices.
—Liz Alderman, New York Times, 4 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gouge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing gouge
Dictionary Entries Near gouge
Cite this Entry
“Gouge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gouge. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
gouge
1 of 2 noun1
: a chisel with a curved blade for scooping or cutting holes
2
: a hole or groove made with or as if with a gouge
gouge
2 of 2 verb
gouged; gouging
1
: to cut holes or grooves in with or as if with a gouge
2
: to force out (an eye) with the thumb
gouger
noun
Medical Definition
gouge
noun
: a chisel with a concavo-convex cross section for removing portions of bone in surgery
More from Merriam-Webster on gouge
Nglish: Translation of gouge for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of gouge for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gouge
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