charge 1 of 2

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
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
10

charge

2 of 2

verb

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
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
5
6
7
8

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
When he was arrested on charges of negligent homicide and reckless operation of a vehicle, police also sought charges of felony hit and run against him. Deena Zaru, ABC News, 10 Oct. 2025 If lightning strikes the tree, the ground charge from the strike could travel into you. Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
Allen, who has repeatedly denied the allegation over the years, was never charged with a crime and later married Previn. Nigel Smith, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025 Even though Rinderknecht was charged with the crime, fire experts told the Washington Examiner that mismanagement by firefighting crews and questionable tactics putting out the smaller Lachman Fire contributed to the Palisades Fire. Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 11 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for charge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for charge
Noun
  • Details from the indictment filed in Maryland's district court charge Bolton with eight counts for the transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of unlawful retention of such information.
    NPR, NPR, 17 Oct. 2025
  • The indictments against all three men were eventually dismissed.
    Lauren del Valle, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Featuring high-profile guests like Coco Jones, the annual DKMS gala is a fundraising event hosted by the international nonprofit organization with a mission to fight blood cancer.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Across every event, The Wondaland Arts Society continues its mission to create spaces where art, identity, and joy converge.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Follow these instructions to enable your phone to receive Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs).
    Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
  • The instruction from the government prompted the national strike.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Milne joined the network in 2019 as managing editor of CBS This Morning, and took on additional responsibilities, like breaking news, the following year.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Sponsors assume no responsibility for any error, omissions, interruption, deletion, defect or delay in operation with transmission, communications, line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to or allegation of submissions.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The Islamists were seen as complicit in India’s worst plane hijack in 1999 and the 2008 attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul, which killed several Indian citizens, including two senior diplomats.
    Happymon Jacob, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Shannon will man larger perimeter players, but not necessarily the point of attack as often.
    Fred Katz, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • It was originally intended to protect electricity ratepayers from having to shoulder the costs of data centers in their communities, but now simply authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to study whether the cost-shift is happening.
    Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Record high inflation and a weak yen are also squeezing households and driving up living costs.
    Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Responsible developers follow best practices for design and construction, support good stewardship and try to mitigate disruptions and encourage efficiencies as much as possible during construction.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
  • In my view, the shift away from public-good scholarship to monetizable content and services shaped by external industry partners jeopardizes the academic freedom and intellectual stewardship that once anchored the mission of higher education.
    Chris Wegemer, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Marco Aguilera, the Fort Lauderdale chief waterways officer, applied for the grant, which will cover 75 percent of eligible expenses for five years.
    Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Jenny Rosales’ brother, Fernando Rosales, organized a GoFundMe to raise money for funeral expenses.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Charge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/charge. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on 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!