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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
Epstein, a financier with ties to powerful figures, died in jail in 2019 while facing federal charges. Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025 One charge of the battery ought to be good for 40 hours of runtime at mid-volume, or seven hours at full volume. New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
Gein was charged in Worden's murder, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and found unfit to stand trial in his first trial. Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025 Lacy was later charged with negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run with death and reckless operation of a vehicle and surrendered to police in mid-January. CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for charge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for charge
Noun
  • Ahead of sentencing, Combs' attorneys submitted several letters on his behalf, including one from an ex-girlfriend originally identified as Victim #3 in the government's indictment.
    Isabella Gomez Sarmiento, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The grand jury indictment means the former fire chief’s criminal case skips the preliminary hearing phase and moves directly to trial.
    Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • China's Tianwen 3 mission aims to launch in late 2028 and return Mars material to Earth in 2031.
    Andrew Jones, Space.com, 1 Oct. 2025
  • This marked the fourth time Canada had taken part in the mission in the last 12 months.
    Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • That meant Vince and Ashley would face off in part 2, a contest that would end in an explosive outburst after Vince did not properly read the instructions.
    Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Where rookie pilots panicked in battle, Gabreski functioned like a robot, dispassionately following the instructions laid out in his military flight manuals.
    Angus Fletcher, Big Think, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Israeli military has acknowledged firing warning shots toward crowds in some instances and denied responsibility for other casualties near aid hubs.
    Soph Warnes, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Bigger responsibilities were on the horizon.
    Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The confirmation of drones over Germany comes as NATO's Denmark investigates a wave of drone disruption to its airports that officials have characterized as a hybrid attack, and coincides with Estonian, Polish, and Romanian accusations against Russia of serious airspace incursions.
    Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Overseas activists have tried to deliver aid in the past to Gaza but have either been intercepted by Israeli forces or come under some form of attack.
    Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • People would be wise to consider the ever-increasing cost of homes in the area before selling their property due to immigration enforcement fears, Gonzalez said.
    Juan Cordoba, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2025
  • This is the cost of having been tortured in public.
    Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Paying Wellness Forward Beyond luxury and wellness, THE WELL Coconut Grove also emphasizes environmental stewardship — something that’s incredibly important for both Martin and Sarhan.
    The Well Coconut Grove, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025
  • For Fuad, that generosity transformed the project from an act of documentation into one of cultural stewardship, where he was tasked with carrying Shihuh voices forward.
    Essie Assibu, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • All the horses' feed is paid for by Metro Nashville and the handler is given a $2,500 annual stipend for medical expenses.
    Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
  • In addition to the great expense, many of the shows revolved around songs from old movies and movie musicals.
    Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 3 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Charge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/charge. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

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