as in levies
a payment that must be made to the government in order to import or export certain goods
The Townshend Acts, which imposed a tariff on many goods imported to North America, indirectly led to the American Revolution.
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Recent Examples of tariffs
In the past, New Delhi had opposed tariffs on sectors such as agriculture and dairy, which employ the bulk of the country's population.
—
Arkansas Online, 8 Feb. 2026
But Costco was the highest-profile public company to do battle with the White House on tariffs.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
That turmoil started in 2020 with the coronavirus pandemic and supply chain issues and continued more recently with tariffs and pullbacks in all-electric vehicles that have cost companies billions of dollars.
—Michael Wayland, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2026
Things only got back up to speed once the tariffs dropped to 30%, which led DiMeo to raise Wildcoat’s prices to $525 apiece from $460.
—Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2026
Canadians shunned American products in response to new tariffs.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 7 Feb. 2026
Expectations that the tariffs would drive inflation much higher, for instance — an eventuality that might actually have a genuine effect on the economy and therefore on market values — haven’t been borne out.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Christine Boldt, executive vice president for the Association of Floral Importers of America, said the cause is largely related to tariffs placed last year on imports from Colombia and Ecuador, along with a new minimum wage enacted this year in Colombia.
—CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
Hiring is down, but unemployment hasn’t spiked, inflation isn’t ballooning (as feared) because of tariffs, and consumer spending is holding up remarkably well.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2026
Arkansas Online, 8 Feb. 2026
But Costco was the highest-profile public company to do battle with the White House on tariffs.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
That turmoil started in 2020 with the coronavirus pandemic and supply chain issues and continued more recently with tariffs and pullbacks in all-electric vehicles that have cost companies billions of dollars.
—Michael Wayland, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2026
Things only got back up to speed once the tariffs dropped to 30%, which led DiMeo to raise Wildcoat’s prices to $525 apiece from $460.
—Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2026
Canadians shunned American products in response to new tariffs.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 7 Feb. 2026
Expectations that the tariffs would drive inflation much higher, for instance — an eventuality that might actually have a genuine effect on the economy and therefore on market values — haven’t been borne out.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Christine Boldt, executive vice president for the Association of Floral Importers of America, said the cause is largely related to tariffs placed last year on imports from Colombia and Ecuador, along with a new minimum wage enacted this year in Colombia.
—CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
Hiring is down, but unemployment hasn’t spiked, inflation isn’t ballooning (as feared) because of tariffs, and consumer spending is holding up remarkably well.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tariffs
Noun
-
When levies spiked 150% for exports from the Asian country days later, everything slowed.—
Max Scheinblum,
Denver Post,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Wealth taxes layer in additional levies, which, among other things, function like highly confiscatory effective tax rates on normal investment returns.—
Veronique De Rugy,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Over the course of her career, Karen Powers worked in the offices of three State Farm agents as a kind of office manager with, eventually, duties of selling insurance herself.—
J.C. Hallman,
Oklahoman,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Hyundai Motor Group has confirmed deployment at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America by 2028, where initial duties will involve parts sequencing before expanding into full component assembly by 2030.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tariffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tariffs. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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