surcharge

1 of 2

verb

sur·​charge ˈsər-ˌchärj How to pronounce surcharge (audio)
surcharged; surcharging; surcharges

transitive verb

1
b
: to charge an extra fee
c
: to show an omission in (an account) for which credit ought to have been given
2
British : overstock
3
: to fill or load to excess
the atmosphere … was surcharged with war hysteriaH. A. Chippendale
4
a
: to mark a surcharge on (a stamp)
b
: overprint
surcharge a banknote

surcharge

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: an additional tax, cost, or impost
b
: an extra fare
a sleeping car surcharge
c
: an instance of surcharging an account
2
: an excessive load or burden
3
: the action of surcharging : the state of being surcharged
4
a(1)
: an overprint on a stamp
specifically : one that alters the denomination
(2)
: a stamp bearing such an overprint
b
: an overprint on a currency note

Did you know?

The Arab oil embargo of 1973 led airlines to add fuel surcharges to their passenger fares that were large enough to discourage air travel. Surcharges are usually added for special service. When you request a "rush job" from a service supplier, it will probably bring a surcharge along with it. A particularly difficult phone installation may carry a surcharge. An extra-large fine for a speeding offense after you've already had too many tickets could be called a surcharge. An added tax may be called a surcharge (or surtax) when it only affects people with incomes above a certain level. And if those low, low prices that show up in really big letters in ads for all kinds of services turn out to be misleading, it's probably because they don't include a bunch of surcharges that you won't find out about till later.

Examples of surcharge in a Sentence

Verb contends that with the present tax structure, the state's lower-income residents are being surcharged and the wealthiest residents are getting off too lightly Noun The airline has added a $20 fuel surcharge on all international flights.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Then, in April, the payments giant limited the amount merchants can surcharge to 3%, down from 4%. Jennifer Surane, Fortune, 30 July 2023 The Connecticut Restaurant Association hasn’t weighed in on whether to repeal the meals surcharge or whether to redirect the tax receipts to towns. Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 2 Feb. 2023 Josephson’s bill would increase that surcharge slightly. James Brooks, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Mar. 2022 In addition to sales tax, the governor’s budget language would let New York City collect a $1.50-per-room nightly surcharge on hotel stays. Jimmy Vielkind, WSJ, 25 Jan. 2021 The Osceola County Clerk of Court will be waiving a 40% collections surcharge during its Operation Green Light from Monday through Nov. 20. Monivette Cordeiro, orlandosentinel.com, 6 Nov. 2020 The county had a fund balance of $6.6 million in school facilities surcharge revenues at the end of fiscal 2018. Erin B. Logan, baltimoresun.com, 23 Aug. 2019 The Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010 without a single Republican vote, protects Americans from being refused or surcharged for insurance because of their medical history. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2019 Soil surcharging work done ... Over the last two years, the SpaceX site was essentially leveled, loaded with hundreds of tons of soil, plumbed with drainage pipes, and then left alone to have gravity do the rest of the work. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 28 Sep. 2018
Noun
In an effort to stay afloat, many restaurant owners have been forced to raise their prices, trim their staffs, menus and hours, add surcharges, set time limits on how long diners can stay and introduce refundable reservation fees to discourage no-shows. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2024 To repay the bonds, an additional 1% to 9% surcharge would be added to sales of items, such as tickets, merchandise and food. Taylor Seely, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024 There’s a 20% surcharge on all overages in the first year, 30% in the second year, and 50% for three or more consecutive years over the threshold. Daniel R. Epstein, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024 But many restaurants will want to continue to pay workers the wages and benefits made possible through those surcharges. Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2024 The statutory base fine is $60 but with additional fees and surcharges, the total penalty may be up to $158. Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2024 The former is ideal for smaller groups since the starting price (around $500) includes up to four guests (two additional guests can also utilize the cabana, but expect to pay a per-person surcharge). Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 30 Nov. 2023 The surcharge should relate directly to the size and weight of the car or truck. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2024 Borenstein originally traced the surcharge to a price spike following an explosion at Exxon Mobil’s Torrance refinery in 2015 that led to a more than year-long shutdown — but the spike never disappeared after the refinery came back online. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'surcharge.' 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, from Anglo-French surcharger, from sur- + charger to load, charge — more at charge entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of surcharge was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near surcharge

Cite this Entry

“Surcharge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surcharge. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

surcharge

1 of 2 verb
sur·​charge ˈsər-ˌchärj How to pronounce surcharge (audio)
1
b
: to charge an extra fee
2
3
: to mark a new value or a surcharge on a stamp

surcharge

2 of 2 noun
1
: an additional tax or charge
2
: a burden that is too great
3
a
: a mark on top of a stamp that changes the value
b
: a stamp bearing such a mark

Legal Definition

surcharge

1 of 2 transitive verb
sur·​charge ˈsər-ˌchärj How to pronounce surcharge (audio)
1
: to impose a surcharge on
surcharge a trustee for failing to exercise due care
2
: to show an omission in (an account) for which credit ought to have been given

surcharge

2 of 2 noun
1
: an additional or excessive charge
2
: a penalty imposed on a fiduciary for failing to exercise due care in the management of assets

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