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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

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charge

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verb

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as in to ask
to set or receive as a price any shop would charge $100 to repair that thing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

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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
On Thursday, District Court Judge Scott Conrad revoked Killian’s bail during a court appearance on the April charges. Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 6 June 2025 As a result of the plea deal, prosecutors dropped charges of murder and first-degree residential burglary against Scott. Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2025
Verb
Then her father was charged with attempting to take them in connection with a fiery assault on pro-Jewish protesters in Boulder, Colorado. Michael Loria, USA Today, 5 June 2025 Mohamed Soliman, the alleged perpetrator, has been charged with a federal hate crime after attacking a march in Colorado intended to raise awareness about Israeli hostages. Brett Samuels, The Hill, 5 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for charge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for charge
Noun
  • According to the indictment, none of them had identification.
    The Editors, National Review, 7 June 2025
  • In the end, the only charge that ever stuck in the murder case was an indictment against one of the family’s former servants.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 June 2025
Noun
  • The trailer certainly paints a trippy picture of a high-tech near-future that veers into nightmare territory, as so many games in the Black Ops franchise tend to do, slipping between missions in the real-world and a psychedelic dream-world filled with demons and other nightmares.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
  • Maria Shriver Calls Chris Pratt 'a Great Member of Our Family' for His 'Spiritual and Kind' Nature Amazon Prime Video's The Terminal List follows a Navy SEAL who returns home with conflicting memories after his platoon is ambushed on a covert mission.
    Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 7 June 2025
Noun
  • Residents were advised to heed official warnings throughout the severe weather cycle and stay alert for any additional storm advisories or emergency instructions.
    Barney Henderson, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
  • The only instructions for the theater audience that night will be to get their butts in the seats before curtain.
    Lynette Rice, Deadline, 6 June 2025
Noun
  • Regulatory responsibility is another key consideration.
    Serge Beck, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • The responsibility of luxury is also to show how business can be done in a way that has a positive impact on society, and to inspire others, whether people or other companies.
    Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 10 June 2025
Noun
  • Try supplements: Certain supplements, such as Riboflavin and CoQ10, can help reduce the frequency and severity of attacks.
    Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 6 June 2025
  • Gangs control at least 85% of its capital, Port-au-Prince, and have launched attacks in the country’s central region in recent years.
    Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • In 2008, the world learnt the cost of financial opacity the hard way.
    Jemma Green, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
  • The alarm rings familiar, and so does the cost of overreach.
    Michael Luo, New Yorker, 8 June 2025
Noun
  • The avenue for success relies on community engagement, ethical stewardship and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
    FNU Anupama, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • And that’s the thing with the Heat during Pat Riley’s three decades of stewardship, there rarely are moves made out of desperation.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 7 June 2025
Noun
  • Telefilm’s National Marketing Program covers up to 75% of promotional expenses for funded projects.
    Jamie Lang, Variety, 9 June 2025
  • Families can order caskets and urns with next-day delivery, create obituaries with features like memory sharing, service details, and direct donations to charity or the bereaved family to help cover funeral expenses.
    Paul Klein, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Charge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/charge. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.

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