charge 1 of 2

noun

Definition of chargenext
1
as in indictment
a formal claim of criminal wrongdoing against a person charges of burglary and armed robbery that have yet to be proved

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in mission
a specific task with which a person or group is charged your charge is to keep everyone else organized and busy

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in instruction
a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned we've received an official charge about how to handle the situation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in responsibility
something one must do because of prior agreement the first charge of our armed forces is to defend this country against enemy attack

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in attack
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence the famously disastrous charge led by General George Pickett at Gettysburg

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in cost
the amount of money that is demanded as payment for something the charge for the book will be five dollars

Synonyms & Similar Words
7
as in stewardship
the duty or function of watching or guarding for the sake of proper direction or control was given charge of the business during the owner's absence

Synonyms & Similar Words
8
as in expense
a payment made in the course of achieving a result the charges mounted at a dizzying pace as the building project went way over budget

Synonyms & Similar Words
9
as in thrill
a pleasurably intense stimulation of the feelings the slopes at this resort aren't particularly challenging and aren't likely to give expert skiers much of a charge

Synonyms & Similar Words
10
as in management
the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something he inherited charge of the Paris bureau after his supervisor quit

Synonyms & Similar Words

charge

2 of 2

verb

ˈchärj How to pronounce charge (audio)
1
as in to ask
to set or receive as a price any shop would charge $100 to repair that thing

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to impose
to establish or apply as a charge or penalty charges a restocking fee for returned merchandise

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to task
to give a task, duty, or responsibility to we're charging you with the care of your little sister while we're gone for the evening

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to order
to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority charged the soldier to keep watch over the prisoner

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to accuse
to make a claim of wrongdoing against he has not yet been charged with any crime

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to fill
to put into (something) as much as can be held or contained charge a blast furnace with iron ore

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in to assault
to take sudden, violent action against plans to charge the enemy's fortification at daybreak

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in to thrill
to cause a pleasurable stimulation of the feelings of the players are going into this game still charged from their upset victory the week before

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb charge contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of charge are bid, command, direct, enjoin, instruct, and order. While all these words mean "to issue orders," charge adds to enjoin an implication of imposing as a duty or responsibility.

charged by the President with a secret mission

When is bid a more appropriate choice than charge?

While in some cases nearly identical to charge, bid suggests giving orders peremptorily (as to children or servants).

she bade him be seated

How are the words command and order related as synonyms of charge?

Both command and order imply authority and usually some degree of formality and impersonality; command stresses official exercise of authority.

a general commanding troops

How do direct and instruct relate to one another, in the sense of charge?

Direct and instruct both connote expectation of obedience and usually concern specific points of procedure or method, instruct sometimes implying greater explicitness or formality.

directed her assistant to hold all calls
the judge instructed the jury to ignore the remark

When would enjoin be a good substitute for charge?

The meanings of enjoin and charge largely overlap; however, enjoin implies giving an order or direction authoritatively and urgently and often with admonition or solicitude.

a sign enjoining patrons to be quiet

In what contexts can order take the place of charge?

The synonyms order and charge are sometimes interchangeable, but order may suggest peremptory or arbitrary exercise.

ordered his employees about like slaves

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of charge
Noun
At least 60 Israelis have been indicted on charges of spying for Iran, but this appears to be the first time an American has been detained in Israel on similar suspicions. — Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 3 July 2026 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra has made an employer charge part of his election platform. — Geoff Mulvihill, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Verb
Two people were arrested and charged with murder Thursday in the 2024 overdose death of a Fort Worth man, according to online jail records. — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 July 2026 Luis Mauricio Flores Ordonez, 33, was charged with owning an unregistered aircraft that was operated by another person. — Kelly O'Donnell, NBC news, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for charge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for charge
  1. indictment
  2. mission
  3. instruction
  4. responsibility
  5. attack
  6. cost
  7. stewardship
  8. expense
Noun
  • Other charges in the indictment are pending and could be tried at a later date.
    — Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 July 2026
  • While the indictment filed by prosecutors Alexander Pogozelski and Brian Zack does not identify the name of Walters’ former bank employer or his client, the Miami Herald reported on the victim’s lawsuit against Northern Trust in January.
    — Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026
Definition of indictment
Noun
  • Their 10-day mission around the moon and back to Earth began with the roaring ignition of SLS's four RS-25 engines and two massive solid rocket boosters (SRBs).
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 1 July 2026
  • The video explores how robotic missions, lunar resources, nuclear power, and advanced spacecraft systems are laying the foundation for future human missions.
    — Paid Content by Lockheed Martin, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of mission
Noun
  • Recent policies that State Shield has supported include a Tennessee bill requiring the state board of education to adopt age-appropriate instruction related to communism and a Louisiana resolution encouraging economic ties with Taiwan.
    — Max Grinstein, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2026
  • Plants need a good root system to hold onto water, and post-establishment watering instructions are important to follow.
    — Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 3 July 2026
Definition of instruction
Noun
  • In many cases, cars add stress, expense, and responsibility without many upsides for college students, especially those attending urban colleges and universities with readily accessible public transit.
    — Chris Teague, AJC.com, 3 July 2026
  • Chuck Norris Throughout his life, Chuck Norris was associated with messages celebrating patriotism, faith and civic responsibility.
    — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of responsibility
Noun
  • The British Army also provided protection from attacks by Native American tribes, giving many settlers little reason to support a rebellion.
    — Hank Tester, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Twice in recent days, the United States has launched retaliatory strikes on Iran following drone attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
    — Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 30 June 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • Trump tied this regular seasonal sale to his claims that his administration lowered costs for consumers, from gas prices to eggs.
    — Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
  • Roberts said his product would be less expensive on a per-square-foot basis than traditional construction but declined to cite figures because individual site conditions affect the overall cost.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of cost
Noun
  • The American experiment, though imperfect, requires each generation's stewardship through hard work, community building, and creating opportunities, ensuring the dream is renewed, not just consumed.
    — Phil Kafarakis, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • Based on the chaos that has ensued at CBS News under her watch, many CNN insiders are concerned over her possible stewardship of an even larger and more complex organization.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of stewardship
Noun
  • The results include deducted one-off expenses for employee bonus provisions.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 7 July 2026
  • Since Calleja’s near-fatal fall, over $42,000 ($61,000 AUD) has been donated to a fundraiser organized by his football club to help cover medical expenses.
    — Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Definition of expense

Phrases Containing charge

Browse Nearby Words

chares
charge
chargeable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Charge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/charge. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on charge

Nglish: Translation of charge for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about charge

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All