tax

1 of 3

noun

ˈtaks 

often attributive

1

a

: a charge usually of money imposed by authority on persons or property for public purposes

b

: a sum levied on members of an organization to defray expenses

2

: a heavy demand

tax

2 of 3

verb

taxed; taxing; taxes

transitive verb

1

: to levy a tax on

2

: to make onerous and rigorous demands on

the job taxed her strength

3

: charge, accuse

taxed him with neglect of duty

also : censure

4

: to assess or determine judicially the amount of (costs in a court action)

5

obsolete : to enter (a name) in a list

there went out a decree … that all the world should be taxed

—Luke 2:1 (King James Version)

taxable

ˈtak-sə-bəl 

adjective

taxer noun

tax-

3 of 3

combining form

variants or taxo- or less commonly taxi-

: arrangement

taxeme

taxidermy

Synonyms

Noun

• assessment
• duty
• imposition
• impost
• levy

Verb

• strain
• stretch
• test
• try

Examples of tax in a Sentence

Noun

The decision was made to raise taxes.

He was accused of evading taxes.

What was your income before taxes?

What is the amount of tax to be paid?

What was your income before tax?

Verb

He believes in taxing the rich to give to the poor.

You are taxed according to your income.

puzzles that tax your brain

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Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Incoming Finance Minister Nicola Willis told New Zealand’s Newshub Nation that the former government’s measures would have significantly reduced tax revenues. —Reuters, NBC News, 28 Nov. 2023

The property can be maintained as a single compound with room to accommodate dozens of guests and staff or, because the parcels are separate tax lots, it can be split into two two-ish-acre beachfront estates with little more than altering some of the landscaping. —Mark David, Robb Report, 28 Nov. 2023

And neither party supports a carbon tax to fight climate change. —Alan S. Blinder, WSJ, 27 Nov. 2023

Kentucky offers a tax incentive to big tourist attractions; for Ark Encounter, this could add up to ongoing rebates totalling eighteen million dollars. —Oliver Whang, The New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2023

Advertisement The 21-year-old charter network, which served more than 17,300 California students last school year, received $220 million in state and federal school funding in 2021-2022, according to its tax filings. —Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Nov. 2023

Instead, hotel tax revenue rose 15 percent, and with 1.4 million arrivals, the airport set a record in 2021. —Frances Robles, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2023

The new, drastically lowered $600 threshold to receive a tax reporting form from third-party settlement organizations such as Venmo and PayPal is delayed yet again. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 22 Nov. 2023

So, Google makes more money on lower revenues and pays a lower overall tax rate than ExxonMobil. —Robert Rapier, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023

Verb

Withdrawals for qualified medical expenses aren’t taxed. —Steve Vernon, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023

The multibillionaire’s decision could come with significant financial upside, as Florida doesn’t tax capital gains and has no state income tax. —Chloe Taylor, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2023

He and other experts who argue that the Moores weren’t taxed on unrealized gains liken the tax on the couple to others that Americans routinely pay. —Julie Zauzmer Weil, Washington Post, 27 Nov. 2023

Denmark is considering a new law that would tax all flights in an effort to boost the country's sustainable energy goals, but not all the money raised would be used for green energy. —Michael Lee, Fox News, 19 Nov. 2023

They’re involved in a spectrum of ways, from taking bribes for protecting and enabling criminal actors to taxing drug traffickers for operating in their territory. —Deborah Bonello, Los Angeles Times, 14 Nov. 2023

However, the amount of income that gets taxed at each rate—otherwise known as the income thresholds—will change. —Tanza Loudenback, wsj.com, 9 Nov. 2023

However, their effective tax rate is much lower: Their first $23,200 of income will be taxed at 10%, or $2,320 in taxes Their earnings from $23,200 to $94,300 would be taxed at 12%, or $8,532 in taxes Their income from $94,300 to $120,800 would be taxed at 22%, or $5,830 in taxes. —Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 9 Nov. 2023

The rate at which each tranche of income is taxed—from 10% to 37%—will remain the same for 2024. —Tanza Loudenback, wsj.com, 9 Nov. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, to estimate, assess, tax, from Anglo-French taxer, from Medieval Latin taxare, from Latin, to feel, estimate, censure, frequentative of tangere to touch — more at tangent entry 2

Combining form

Greek taxi-, from taxis

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Phrases Containing tax

• death tax
• income tax
• alternative minimum tax
• flat tax
• payroll tax
• hidden tax
• (income) tax return
• negative income tax
• estate tax
• property tax
• proportional tax
• inheritance tax
• nuisance tax
• stamp tax
• poll tax
• severance tax
• single tax
• personal tax
• tax credit
• tax break
• tax base
• tax abatement
• sales tax
• sin tax
• tax exile
• tax-free
• tax-deductible
• tax haven
• tax refund
• tax shelter
• tax disc
• tax-deferred
• tax-exempt
• value-added tax
• withholding tax
• excise tax
• tax fiddler
• direct tax
• tax stamp
• after-tax
• tax burden
• tax selling
• tax with
• anti-tax
• pre-tax

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• death tax
• income tax
• alternative minimum tax
• flat tax
• payroll tax
• hidden tax
• (income) tax return
• negative income tax
• estate tax
• property tax
• proportional tax
• inheritance tax
• nuisance tax
• stamp tax
• poll tax
• severance tax
• single tax
• personal tax
• tax credit
• tax break
• tax base
• tax abatement
• sales tax
• sin tax
• tax exile
• tax-free
• tax-deductible
• tax haven
• tax refund
• tax shelter
• tax disc
• tax-deferred
• tax-exempt
• value-added tax
• withholding tax
• excise tax
• tax fiddler
• direct tax
• tax stamp
• after-tax
• tax burden
• tax selling
• tax with
• anti-tax
• pre-tax

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Kids Definition

tax

1 of 2 verb

ˈtaks 

1

: to require to pay a tax

2

: to accuse of something

taxed them with carelessness

3

: to make heavy demands on : strain

taxed our strength

taxer noun

tax

2 of 2 noun

1

: a charge usually of money set by authority on persons or property for public purposes

2

: something (as an effort or duty) that makes heavy demands : strain

Legal Definition

tax

1 of 2 transitive verb

1

: to assess or determine judicially the amount of (costs of an action in court)

2

: to levy a tax on

tax the corporation

tax capital gains

taxer noun

tax

2 of 2 noun

often attributive

1

: a charge usually of money imposed by legislative or other public authority upon persons or property for public purposes

2

: a sum levied on members of an organization to defray expenses

Etymology

Transitive verb

Medieval Latin taxare to assess for taxation, tax, from Latin, to assess, value, fix