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
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
Successive hurricanes had gouged a hole in the Sunshine State, leaving several private carriers insolvent — and leaving hundreds of thousands of their customers with no choice but Citizens.
—Mario Ariza, ProPublica, 15 Sep. 2025
But a low spot in the ocean, a channel gouged down into the sand on the ocean surface, or a break in a sandbar, can disrupt that flow and push water through the spot to create a current much more powerful than the surrounding flow.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
The greedy people will get theirs when people get fed up with being gouged at every turn.
—Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2025
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
Successive hurricanes had gouged a hole in the Sunshine State, leaving several private carriers insolvent — and leaving hundreds of thousands of their customers with no choice but Citizens.
—Mario Ariza, ProPublica, 15 Sep. 2025
But a low spot in the ocean, a channel gouged down into the sand on the ocean surface, or a break in a sandbar, can disrupt that flow and push water through the spot to create a current much more powerful than the surrounding flow.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
The greedy people will get theirs when people get fed up with being gouged at every turn.
—Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gouged
Verb
-
The criticism stung deeper coming from someone who avoided Vietnam military service.—
Pan Pylas,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2026
-
His sarcasm stung almost daily, but the winning followed weekly.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After the Astros cheated to win the 2017 World Series, the Dodgers didn’t face them again until 2020.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Bondi forgave a crime that had put people’s lives at risk and cheated the government of vaccine doses that could have been given to others.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
After the Boynton Beach location changed hands in 2021, the new owners discovered that insurance companies had been billed and over 80 patients had been charged for work that was not performed or overcharged, according to the affidavit, many of them 65 or older.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Thermal runaway, or self-heating, can occur without warning in lithium batteries as a result of various factors, including if the battery is damaged, overheated, exposed to water, overcharged or improperly packed, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
His sweatshirt was soaked, and his face looked cold.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The health secretary, who turned 72 this month and celebrated with a hefty steak, pairs the diet with foods that are fermented, typically meaning they are soaked, salted or cultured to let natural bacteria or yeast break down sugars over time.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gouged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gouged. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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