as in to sting
to charge (someone) too much for goods or services
since I had forgotten the sunscreen, I was forced to buy it from the concession stand at the beach—where they gouged me for it
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Recent Examples of gouge
Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
After getting gouged repeatedly by bootleg play-action passes, screens and space plays over their first two series, the Pats struck back with a short-yardage stop and forced fumble on the next two series.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 6 Jan. 2026
Staff Author, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2025
The mile-wide, 550-foot-deep gouge people see today was crafted in roughly 10 seconds when the meteorite, traveling at 26,000 mph, crash-landed in what was then a forest of juniper and piñon pines.
—Olivia Rose, AZCentral.com, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gouge
Verb
Those dollars have been won through cases the district attorney has joined against major corporations, including price-gouging lawsuits against Walmart and Lowe’s, an environmental lawsuit against Tesla and a case alleging deceptive business practices by HelloFresh, a meal-kit subscription company.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
After getting gouged repeatedly by bootleg play-action passes, screens and space plays over their first two series, the Pats struck back with a short-yardage stop and forced fumble on the next two series.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 6 Jan. 2026
Noun
Why Metal Utensils Are Not Good For Your Nonstick Pan
While micro-scratches aren’t that big of a deal, micro can turn to macro gouges quickly, threatening the integrity of the entire surface.
—Staff Author, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2025
The mile-wide, 550-foot-deep gouge people see today was crafted in roughly 10 seconds when the meteorite, traveling at 26,000 mph, crash-landed in what was then a forest of juniper and piñon pines.
—Olivia Rose, AZCentral.com, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gouge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gouge
Verb
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The loss of Puig, who might be the most irreplaceable player in MLS, will certainly sting.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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Further down the supply chain, former Army Ranger Patrick Montgomery, who runs KC Cattle Company, located outside Kansas City, Missouri, has been stung by high prices.—
Bloomberg Wire,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Woodland doesn’t have any skid plates or other off-road gear, but precise control of the motors’ generous torque output provided excellent traction on the steep trail and over hollows and humps Toyota created to demonstrate the SUV’s capability.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
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Near the pool, shallow stone hollows mark where Zibibbo grapes were once laid out to dry for Passito di Pantelleria, the island’s renowned sweet wine.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Instead of swift passage on Wednesday, the proposal has become a new flashpoint in a sensitive discussion over police-community relations, with some event organizers questioning why community groups who feel overcharged by the police should have to appeal to the same department for subsidies.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
6 Feb. 2026
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The lawsuit alleges diabetic Iowans have been overcharged millions of dollars a year and cut off from affordable insulin.—
Kyle Werner,
Des Moines Register,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The new record opens with a spoken word intro from the funk father himself, George Clinton, which somewhat belies its lack of buoyant grooves, but sets the tone for its poetic and often esoteric themes.—
Lina Lecaro,
Rolling Stone,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Draymond Green has struggled to find a groove all season.—
Nick Friedell,
New York Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Lægreid wasn’t the only athlete caught up in a cheating scandal, however.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
23 Feb. 2026
-
The seemingly quaint and cordial sport of curling was rocked by cheating allegations during the Winter Games.—
Sallee Ann Harrison,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Shiffrin sustained a puncture wound to her left abdomen after crashing into the side fencing after tumbling into two gates.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
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Shiffrin suffered a huge crash in a giant slalom race in Killington, Vermont, in November 2024, leaving her with a puncture wound to her abdomen and muscle trauma.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Annual watercraft surcharges funding efforts to prevent the spread of invasive species are set to increase in 2026 from $10.60 to anywhere between $14 and $62, according to House Public Information Services.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
28 Dec. 2025
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Merchants would gain surcharging flexibility and those that accept one of a network’s credit cards would no longer have to accept all of them.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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His wife of 30 years, Debora Demora, 59, was lying on the garage floor, dead with stab wounds.—
Julie Sharp,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
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King’s body turned up in Tennessee’s Cumberland River in May 2025, and an autopsy revealed 39 stab wounds, officials said.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gouge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gouge. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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