tariff

1 of 2

noun

tar·​iff ˈter-əf How to pronounce tariff (audio)
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

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
First, in concluding the policy failed, the authors ignore that the Section 301 tariffs on China reduced our dependency on a global adversary. WSJ, 20 Sep. 2023 In 2018, China slapped a steep retaliatory tariff on the fruit, among other imports. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Sep. 2023 Von der Leyen will also need to decide soon on whether to stick with plans to introduce a tariff starting next year on electric vehicles shipping between the EU and the UK, which some officials and the industry say will damage European carmakers and boost competition from China. Kevin Whitelaw, Fortune, 13 Sep. 2023 Most of the tariffs still remain under the Biden administration. Laura He, CNN, 24 Aug. 2023 The softwood lumber tariffs are the legacy of a decades-long trade dispute over the structure of Canada's timber sector that could not be resolved when a quota agreement expired in 2015. Fox News, 22 Aug. 2023 An initial spike in steel prices after the tariffs were announced was short-lived, though prices surged to new highs during the Covid-19 pandemic. Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 13 Aug. 2023 Very few Chinese cars are on the road in this country thanks to extremely high tariffs. Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 30 Aug. 2023 Her research attributed the decline to tariffs imposed by the United States and the efforts of large U.S. companies to find other sources of goods and parts after China’s pandemic shutdowns disrupted its output. Christopher Rugaber, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2023
Verb
Will tariff reductions be on the docket? Ian Mount, Fortune, 15 Nov. 2021 But Trump’s main strategy for obtaining better trade deals has been to tariff other countries into submission. Tom Benning, Dallas News, 3 Apr. 2020 In public, Chinese officials call Mr Trump’s tariffs self-defeating and stress their country’s economic resilience. The Economist, 2 Jan. 2020 If Trump continues to tariff Chinese goods, the real losers will be the American consumers, manufacturers and farmers who will bear the costs. Leo Hindery Jr. For Cnn Business Perspectives, CNN, 11 Sep. 2019 Thus, American retailers and consumers will likely not get stuck with the extra cost for those goods tariffed in December. James D. Schultz For Cnn Business Perspectives, CNN, 15 Aug. 2019 Chief Executive Officer Martin Wong said his company, a rival to Inventec, has also shifted some notebook lines to Taiwan and was considering investing more in Vietnam should tariff-conflicts persist. Katherine Dunn, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2019 Fifty-three-foot shipping containers are essential for trucking and rail transportation, and big companies like J.B Hunt and CSX said that tariffing them would make all kinds of freight shipments more expensive. Lydia Depillis, ProPublica, 22 Aug. 2019 The Buffalo plant may be the latest indicator that tariffs on steel imports imposed by President Donald Trump are giving a lending hand to the U.S. steel industry. Erin Douglas, Houston Chronicle, 23 July 2019 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tariff.' 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

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of tariff was in 1592

Dictionary Entries Near tariff

Cite this Entry

“Tariff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tariff. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

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 How to pronounce tariff (audio)
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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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