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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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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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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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

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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
Baldwin said that as of a hearing Wednesday, the Broward State Attorney’s Office had not yet formally filed charges. — Laurie Mermet, Sun Sentinel, 17 July 2026 The charge stems from the April 1 death of Aithana Rodriguez Arriaga, who became unresponsive after undergoing a frenectomy or tongue-tie procedure, at Cuddle Kids Dental Care in Fort Worth. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 17 July 2026
Verb
No immigration officers have been charged in the killings and video footage in several previous shootings has contradicted the accounts of federal officers. — Arkansas Online, 11 July 2026 United Therapeutics’ subsidiary, Unither Bioelectronics, has worked with BETA on areas including autonomous flight technologies, aircraft design, and charging infrastructure deployment. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 11 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
  • The indictment alleges Odeh lost control of the vehicle while traveling at a high rate of speed and struck Catchings and her grandson near the intersection of Covington Highway and Miller Road.
    — CBS News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 12 July 2026
  • The indictment was returned on May 13 by a federal grand jury in Hartford.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 11 July 2026
Definition of indictment
Noun
  • Brown served as a Navy pilot with more than 100 combat missions in Vietnam, and he was recently diagnosed with a debilitating disease for which the Department of Veterans Affairs has approved benefits, his defense attorney wrote.
    — Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
  • Meanwhile, Flanq will provide autonomous maritime technologies, mission software, AI autonomy, and open capability architectures.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 15 July 2026
Definition of mission
Noun
  • The files included instructions for how to make the S-300 missile system, a centerpiece of Russia’s air defenses inherited from the Soviet Union.
    — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
  • The moment your environment shifts, with a new product category, a new flavor of spam review or a new way users try to game the system, the instructions need another pass.
    — Kayode Faturoti, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of instruction
Noun
  • One employee took responsibility for not catching the boys’ early and unapproved departure.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2026
  • How does personal responsibility enter into this world of unfathomable dangers?
    — Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
Definition of responsibility
Noun
  • Iran’s new energy weapon Following the start of US- and Israeli-led attacks on February 28, Iran almost immediately declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, creating the largest oil supply shock in history.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
  • While setting up an attack near the France box, midfielder Dani Olmo overcame a hard challenge that knocked him down to play a through ball to Pedro Porro.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • Kovich said attracting new development will ultimately be key to lowering rates further by spreading the cost of the water system across more customers.
    — Nina Burns, CBS News, 14 July 2026
  • Four refineries have closed in California so far this decade because of environmental regulations and high costs.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
Definition of cost
Noun
  • However, any consideration of a project of this magnitude must be approached with careful analysis and responsible stewardship of public resources.
    — Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 July 2026
  • Katherine Melchior Ray, author of Brand Global, Adapt Local, on why control is the wrong mental model and stewardship the right one.
    — Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of stewardship
Noun
  • The story goes that given the expense of the ground-breaking CGI used in the film, producers were looking to hire a relatively unknown (to summer blockbuster audiences, that is) actor for the role of Grant, with Neill winning the part.
    — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026
  • The district’s expenses are outpacing incoming revenue; there is no cash reserve cushion.
    — Jennifer Custer, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 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 19 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on charge

Nglish: Translation of charge for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about charge

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