protective tariff

noun

Updated on: 10 Apr 2018

Definition of protective tariff

: a tariff intended primarily to protect domestic producers rather than to yield revenue

Recent Examples of protective tariff from the Web

Dwight Eisenhower was far and away the leader, issuing 35 protective tariffs during his two terms.

— kenneth lowande, Washington Post, "Will Trump’s tariffs help him with his voters?," 6 Mar. 2018
Looking to Alexander Hamilton, not Jefferson, for inspiration, this plan consisted of protective tariffs, a central bank and federal funding for internal improvements.

— jon talton, The Seattle Times, "Trump’s infrastructure scheme: Tearing down 150 years of federal support," 17 Feb. 2018
The primary tool for this task was the protective tariff, intended to stimulate domestic industry by shielding it from competition abroad, particularly Great Britain.

— jay cost, National Review, "Congress Wasn’t Designed to Handle Tax Policy," 2 Oct. 2017
White’s book ends in 1896, with the debacle of the agrarian Populist movement and reconsolidation of a Republican Party that now worshiped the gold standard and protective tariffs.

— sean wilentz, New York Times, "When Corruption and Venality Were the Lifeblood of America," 19 Sep. 2017
The Journal’s free-market principles were violated when Hoover bowed to heavy lobbying by farmers and industry and signed the notorious Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act of 1930, one of the greatest protective tariff increases in American history.

— george melloan, WSJ, "Protectionism vs. Free-Market Populism," 14 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'protective tariff.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.