tariff

1 of 2

noun

tar·​iff ˈter-əf 

ˈta-rəf

1

a

: a schedule of duties imposed by a government on imported or in some countries exported goods

b

: a duty or rate of duty imposed in such a schedule

2

: a schedule of rates or charges of a business or a public utility

3

: price, charge

tariff

2 of 2

verb

tariffed; tariffing; tariffs

transitive verb

: to subject to a tariff

Examples of tariff in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Other Asia-Pacific markets facing higher tariffs include Indonesia, which will be hit with a 32% excise duty, Bangladesh, which was slapped with a 35% duty, as well as Cambodia and Thailand, which are set for 36% tariff rates, the president's letters indicated. —Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 8 July 2025

Within hours, Trump announced fresh tariffs on five additional countries, including South Africa and Malaysia. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 7 July 2025

Verb

Some cases are now lined up for the Supreme Court to rule on the merits as soon as next year, including the Wilcox and tariffs cases. —Jacob Turcotte, Christian Science Monitor, 17 June 2025

Market participants have been scrambling to keep up with flip-flopping White House tariffs policy, a dollar selloff , a sharp rise in U.S. Treasury yields and volatile Wall Street stocks . —Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 2 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Italian tariffa, from Arabic taʽrīf notification

First Known Use

Noun

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1828, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tariff

• protective tariff
• revenue tariff

Rhymes for tariff

• sherif
• sheriff
• nontariff

Kids Definition

tariff

noun

tar·​iff

ˈtar-əf

1

a

: a list of taxes placed by a government on imported or in some countries exported goods

b

: a tax or rate of tax set up in a tariff list

2

: a list of rates or charges of a business or public service company

Legal Definition

tariff

noun

tar·​iff ˈtar-əf 

1

a

: a schedule of duties imposed by a government on imported or in some countries exported goods

b

: a duty or rate of duty imposed in such a schedule

2

: a document filed with the appropriate government agency that sets forth the rates, charges, and other provisions pertaining to services furnished by a business (as a carrier) or public utility

Etymology

Noun

Italian tariffa, from Arabic taʽrīf notification