Synonym Chooser

How is the word exorbitant different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of exorbitant are excessive, extravagant, extreme, immoderate, and inordinate. While all these words mean "going beyond a normal limit," exorbitant implies a departure from accepted standards regarding amount or degree.

exorbitant prices

When might excessive be a better fit than exorbitant?

Although the words excessive and exorbitant have much in common, excessive implies an amount or degree too great to be reasonable or acceptable.

excessive punishment

When would extravagant be a good substitute for exorbitant?

The words extravagant and exorbitant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, extravagant implies an indifference to restraints imposed by truth, prudence, or good taste.

extravagant claims for the product

When could extreme be used to replace exorbitant?

The meanings of extreme and exorbitant largely overlap; however, extreme may imply an approach to the farthest limit possible or conceivable but commonly means only to a notably high degree.

extreme shyness

Where would immoderate be a reasonable alternative to exorbitant?

The words immoderate and exorbitant can be used in similar contexts, but immoderate implies lack of desirable or necessary restraint.

immoderate spending

When can inordinate be used instead of exorbitant?

The synonyms inordinate and exorbitant are sometimes interchangeable, but inordinate implies an exceeding of the limits dictated by reason or good judgment.

inordinate pride

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 exorbitant The lack of clarity could leave UniCredit exposed to exorbitant penalties of around 20 billion euros, Orcel noted — casting a shadow over the appeal of the Banco BPM pursuit. Ruxandra Iordache, CNBC, 11 June 2025 Virtually the entirety of Musk’s worth is paper wealth, coming from his roughly 12% ownership stake in Tesla, which has an exorbitant valuation, trading at over 100x price to earnings. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 6 June 2025 According to family lore, Mr. Milstein was once renovating a former furniture store in Pine Brook, N.J., when a demolition company presented an exorbitant estimate for razing a wall. Sam Roberts, New York Times, 21 May 2025 The areas hardest hit by Sandy had suffered during the subprime crisis – when some homeowners were charged exorbitant mortgage interest rates – and subsequent recession, and home prices had not yet started to rise again. Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for exorbitant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exorbitant
Adjective
  • Some locals in Venice, which has dealt with overtourism that has strained the city’s infrastructure and services for years, will protest the wedding over concerns its scale will worsen some of the issues created by excessive tourist crowds.
    Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
  • According to Mock, your professional maid service will not have the proper tools to safely remove excessive mold issues.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 21 June 2025
Adjective
  • Eric Dane is prepared to go to extreme measures to fight ALS.
    Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2025
  • The introduction of factory manufacturing in the developing world helped to lift over a billion people out of extreme poverty.
    Tony Morley, National Review, 17 June 2025
Adjective
  • If that happens, expect a sharp reset in valuations, a spike in bond yields, and a steep correction in the S&P 500.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
  • The rainfall threatened flooding and mudslides, especially in areas with steep terrain.
    Luis Alberto Cruz, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2025
Adjective
  • And while not as extravagant as Cirque du Soleil (also from Canada), the show still leaves audiences in awe.
    Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 19 June 2025
  • There are a plethora of stories out there about the extravagant infrastructure at the base of the world’s highest peak, such as fancy espresso machines, massages, and five-star cuisine.
    Ben Ayers, Outside Online, 12 June 2025
Adjective
  • Amanda learned in like 10 seconds, which is insane.
    Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2025
  • The emu egg—a two pound, eight-inch ovoid with a sultry teal shell gently speckled in pale green—seemed like just the right absurdist final flourish for an already insane endeavor.
    Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Exorbitant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exorbitant. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on exorbitant

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