tax

1 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

taxis

2 of 3

noun

tax·​is ˈtak-səs 

plural taxes ˈtak-ˌsēz 

1

: reflex translational or orientational movement by a freely motile and usually simple organism in relation to a source of stimulation (such as a light or a temperature or chemical gradient)

2

: a reflex reaction involving a taxis

-taxis

3 of 3

noun combining form

plural -taxes

1

: arrangement : ordering

thermotaxis

2

: physiological taxis

chemotaxis

Synonyms of tax

Verb

• stretch
• strain
• try
• test
• get (to)
• push

Examples of tax in a Sentence

Verb

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

You are taxed according to your income.

puzzles that tax your brain

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

In 2026, only incomes up to $184,500 are taxed to pay for benefits. —Medora Lee, USA Today, 9 June 2026

At the center of one of the competing measures is a proposal to change how Inglewood taxes stadium tickets. —Christopher Damien, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026

Those changes included taxing benefits and gradually raising the retirement age. —Lorie Konish, CNBC, 9 June 2026

Roberts thought Sheehan’s second-inning pitch count had become too taxing for a pitcher who returned from Tommy John surgery less than a year ago. —Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 8 June 2026

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

Noun

borrowed from German Taxis, borrowed from Greek táxis "drawing up in rank and file, order of battle, arrangement, order," from tag-, stem of tássein (Attic táttein) "to draw up in order (as troops, ships), post, station, place in order, prescribe, assess" + -sis -sis — more at tactic entry 2

Noun combining form

borrowed from Greek táxis "arrangement, disposition, order" — more at taxis

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Noun

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing tax

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

Rhymes for tax

• axe
• backs
• blacks
• cracks
• fax
• flax
• hacks
• jacks
• knacks
• lacks
• lakhs
• lax

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