as in stung
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 gouged
The bullets shattered nine panes of glass, their wooden framework gouged by bullet fragments.
—
David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
Nobody likes being price gouged, whether at the gas pump, ticket purchase, or a rideshare.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Then thunder crashes and a hand with an open wound gets gouged open.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2026
In a development as predictable as the Yankees overpaying for talent, viewers grew increasingly weary of getting gouged like that and responded with a wave of cord-cutting that has now ensured that OPM is no longer a viable option for RSNs.
—Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 11 Mar. 2026
The department was able to give back about $103,891 in restitution to the tenant who was gouged, Carbajal said.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
Scheffler pushed his drive into the right fairway bunker on the par-4, could only advance the ball 54 yards into the left rough and gouged his third shot short of the green.
—John Marshall, Baltimore Sun, 5 Feb. 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
At Dia, the cage has been reconstructed in full, complete with Hsieh’s boots and his tally marks gouged into the wall.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
Nobody likes being price gouged, whether at the gas pump, ticket purchase, or a rideshare.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Then thunder crashes and a hand with an open wound gets gouged open.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2026
In a development as predictable as the Yankees overpaying for talent, viewers grew increasingly weary of getting gouged like that and responded with a wave of cord-cutting that has now ensured that OPM is no longer a viable option for RSNs.
—Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 11 Mar. 2026
The department was able to give back about $103,891 in restitution to the tenant who was gouged, Carbajal said.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
Scheffler pushed his drive into the right fairway bunker on the par-4, could only advance the ball 54 yards into the left rough and gouged his third shot short of the green.
—John Marshall, Baltimore Sun, 5 Feb. 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
At Dia, the cage has been reconstructed in full, complete with Hsieh’s boots and his tally marks gouged into the wall.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gouged
Verb
-
The keen scent of the fall breeze with its hint of snow now swept down the valley and stung our faces.—
Anton Money,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2026
-
Drivers stung by high gas prices have enjoyed some welcome relief over the last couple of weeks, even as the impact of the Iran war continues to choke off oil supply.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
However, instead of wrapping up storylines neatly, the series' final episode created more questions, and left many feeling cheated of a firm resolution.—
Julie Tremaine,
PEOPLE,
23 May 2026
-
There’s a rule and Saints cheated in the play-offs, a separate competition.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Verb
-
The tenants estimated that they were overcharged by $50,000 to $100,000.—
Katelyn Umholtz,
Kansas City Star,
24 May 2026
-
The jury found that fans were overcharged for tickets as a direct result of this monopoly, paying higher fees for their tickets.—
Letitia James,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Domestic flights will also get surcharged.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Many of the supporters of Team Algeria were soaked from steady rain that fell on Lawrence Sunday evening.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
8 June 2026
-
Those memories are swollen, soaked through.—
Lindsay Calleran,
IndieWire,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gouged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gouged. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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