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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

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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

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

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

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

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

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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
Castro also faces federal charges stemming from the shooting, which occurred during a federal immigration crackdown in the Minneapolis area. — Tim Sullivan, Arkansas Online, 18 Sep. 2026 The battery lasts up to five hours on a single charge and 30 hours total with the charging case, giving them plenty of juice to last throughout the day. — George Yang, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
Commissioner Steve Glassman recommended the city look into adding a new boat and also charging non-residents a reasonable fee. — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026 More news Another battery fire erupts at Moss Landing in Northern California, where some units are still charged. — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 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
  • Following an eight-count criminal indictment in 2020 that covered multiple violent incidents over the previous year, Hickerson pleaded no contest in April 2021 to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • In his nasty hands, every canvas was an indictment, a history painting with its gloves off.
    — Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of indictment
Noun
  • And a 26-year-old naturalist named Charles Darwin arrived aboard the British Royal Navy ship HMS Beagle, which had sailed from England nearly four years earlier on a mission to chart South America.
    — Michele Metych Britannica Editors Sep. 14, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Sep. 2026
  • For the past four years, the Kremlin’s mission has been to convince Russians that the war is anything but an emergency.
    — MICHAEL KIMMAGE, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of mission
Noun
  • Orders can be equivocal, statements ambiguous, instructions murky.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Studies have used everything from intensive classroom instruction to short daily sessions with language-learning apps, over periods ranging from weeks to months, to see whether language learning can improve cognitive function.
    — Karen Stollznow, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of instruction
Noun
  • If a third of that pool has smoothed over an age, downplayed a caregiving responsibility or held back an honest opinion online, that manager is working from an edited pool without knowing it.
    — Houman Akhavan, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026
  • And this responsibility is worth remembering as the nation and Connecticut observes Gold Star Mothers and Family Day.
    — Cristina Johnson, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of responsibility
Noun
  • Ukraine's State Emergency Service said Tuesday that Russian strikes on Kyiv had killed one person and wounded seven other people since the start of the day, with attacks carried out on the capital's gas stations.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The number of products deployed or dollars spent says little about an organization’s ability to withstand an attack.
    — Shane Buckley, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • If 50,000 students received an account throughout the entire 2026-27 school year, the cost would be more than $367 million.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
  • While cost is an important factor, service reliability and the availability of spare parts are also important considerations for truck carriers, and overhauling an entire fleet is a major investment.
    — Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of cost
Noun
  • Trump’s reaction today to Cooper’s decision—both online and before the board—underscores the bargain that has defined his stewardship of the Kennedy Center.
    — Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Many invest millions of dollars into upgrades, infrastructure improvements, and long-term stewardship of their properties.
    — Jeff Cook, New York Daily News, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of stewardship
Noun
  • That analysis gives finance leaders a clearer picture of total risk cost than premium expense alone.
    — Randy Sadler, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • That reality can make education savings feel out of reach, especially when families are balancing everyday expenses, changing budgets and uncertain plans for the future.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of expense

Phrases Containing charge

Browse Nearby Words

chares
charge
chargeable
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Cite this Entry

“Charge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/charge. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on charge

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about charge

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