Definition of exorbitantnext

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 Despite Black Friday–style lines, limited quantities, and resellers charging exorbitant prices, the tote has become a must‑have staple, with fans lining up for each new release. Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 6 May 2026 Plus ticket prices tend to be so exorbitant at The Garden that the price of traveling to a rival city, purchasing a hotel and a ticket to an away playoff game tends to be lower than the cost of entry to a home postseason game. Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 4 May 2026 But the exorbitant charges weren’t just for travel, the document says. Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 2 May 2026 Iran might start charging exorbitant tolls for all ships that cross the strait. Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for exorbitant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exorbitant
Adjective
  • State lawmakers can’t stop federal agents from wearing masks, for instance, so Democrats brought a bill requiring local law enforcement officers to identify themselves — and to intervene if police see a federal agent using excessive force.
    Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 15 May 2026
  • The two highest-ranking Republicans in the state legislature called Wednesday for former New Britain mayor Erin Stewart to consider dropping out of the governor’s race over reported excessive spending on the city’s credit card.
    Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2026
Adjective
  • The material includes Nazi iconography, extreme misogyny and racist sentiments about Black people and other minority groups, law enforcement officials said.
    Tom Winter, NBC news, 19 May 2026
  • In addition, the extreme naïveté of the Spanish do-gooder lawyer is an out-of-place cliché in a film whose cinematic potency and multifaceted performances testify to Marrakchi’s strengths.
    Jay Weissberg, Variety, 19 May 2026
Adjective
  • By 2030, some 100,000 satellites may orbit the planet, with further steep growth expected in the coming decades.
    Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 18 May 2026
  • The index is back in the green after steep losses at the end of last week.
    Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 18 May 2026
Adjective
  • The extravagant villa took a decade to build and was completed in 2018, crafted by architect and designer Peter Marino.
    Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
  • From cheeky shots of celebrities like Jane Fonda and Arnold Schwarzenegger to extravagant, sensual portfolios of America’s Olympic squads, the magazine’s pantheon of photographers have helped to define the genre of sports portraiture.
    Kahina Sekkaï, Vanity Fair, 14 May 2026
Adjective
  • In any other historical period, proposing such a career trajectory would’ve seemed mildly insane — like if Peter Buck had followed up Fables of the Reconstruction by producing Whitney Houston instead of the Feelies.
    Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2026
  • For so much of the season, Rachel is low-key stoned, which can keep her at a remove, even when things are getting really insane.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 14 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Exorbitant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exorbitant. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on exorbitant

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster