usurious

adjective

usu·​ri·​ous yu̇-ˈzhu̇r-ē-əs  -ˈzu̇r- 

1

: practicing usury

2

: involving usury : of the character of usury

usurious interest rates

usuriously adverb

usuriousness noun

Examples of usurious in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Food inflation in Russia is around 25%, interest rates on loans is a usurious 25%, and lending has come to a near complete halt, making ordinary life unbearable and unaffordable for normal Russians. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian, TIME, 26 Feb. 2025

Rates above 16% are considered usurious in New York. —Jonathan Stempel, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2025

Companies and individuals cannot afford to pay usurious 25% interest on mortgages and loans, so lending has plummeted. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 23 Jan. 2025

Prosecutors accused the individuals of participating in a sports gambling operation that received more than $22.7 million in illicit bets and a loansharking operation that brought in about $500,000 in usurious loans. —Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 6 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for usurious

• luxurious

Kids Definition

usurious

adjective

usu·​ri·​ous yu̇-ˈzhu̇r-ē-əs  -ˈzu̇r- 

: practicing, involving, or being usury

usurious interest

Legal Definition

usurious

adjective

usu·​ri·​ous yu̇-ˈzhu̇r-ē-əs 

1

: practicing usury

2

: involving usury

usurious interest

usuriously adverb

usuriousness noun