as in extortion
the exaction of a grossly excessive charge for goods or services
a hotline that consumers may use to report gouging at gasoline stations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in stinging
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gouging
Greg Cote
june 10, Miami Herald, 10 June 2026
The ancient Greek sport of pankration employed techniques from the more structured disciplines of boxing and wrestling, with no rules except for prohibitions on eye-gouging and biting.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
What Raiff has seen is price-gouging at private airports and terminals.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 14 May 2026
For its part, CF is clearly sensitive to the inevitable accusations of price-gouging.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
The public better wake up, because the creativity of the MTA, and Hochul’s gouging of a disinterested and unwise public, have no limits.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026
Furniture pads on the bottoms of heavy furniture help protect laminate flooring from scratches and gouging.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 23 Feb. 2026
Soon after, Bradley stumbles on Zuri’s body and confronts Linda, resulting in a brutal fight that includes stabbing, scalp ripping, and some really upsetting eye gouging.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
As the tournament approaches, some Kansas Citians have raised concerns over the condition of some short-term rentals, price-gouging, or, at the very least, offering subpar properties for premium prices.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 10 Dec. 2025
Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 13 June 2026
The bipartisan House panel questioned four witnesses, including OutKick President Clay Travis, who accused the NFL of price gouging its massive audience in his opening statement.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 10 June 2026
Despite more than 2,000 county gouging complaints and an Altadena family’s lawsuit alleging illegally tripled rent, officials say regular market forces and existing rent controls will now dictate prices.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026
But these concerns have not gone unnoticed, as a bill is currently making its way through the California General Assembly that aims to cap resale prices as a way to limit ticket brokers and resale platforms from price-gouging fans.
—Noe Padilla, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Run a putty knife along the wet popcorn ceiling to scrape off the popcorn texture, but be careful to avoid gouging the ceiling with the corner of the putty knife.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Apr. 2026
Beyond the claims itself, evidence released in the trial had revealed some unflattering conversations between Live Nation representatives, perhaps most notably a set of exchanges between two regional employees bragging to each other about gouging concertgoers on ancillary fees and parking spaces.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 15 Apr. 2026
The session culminated in two new price-gouging laws.
—Richard Ramos, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Gillett contended the utilities were gouging the public.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
But the buildup to America’s first time hosting the World Cup since 1994 has been nonstop controversy, from exorbitant ticket cost and price-gouging for public transportation to our country’s far-right immigration policies scaring away many would-be visitors.
—Greg Cote
june 10, Miami Herald, 10 June 2026
The ancient Greek sport of pankration employed techniques from the more structured disciplines of boxing and wrestling, with no rules except for prohibitions on eye-gouging and biting.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
What Raiff has seen is price-gouging at private airports and terminals.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 14 May 2026
For its part, CF is clearly sensitive to the inevitable accusations of price-gouging.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
The public better wake up, because the creativity of the MTA, and Hochul’s gouging of a disinterested and unwise public, have no limits.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026
Furniture pads on the bottoms of heavy furniture help protect laminate flooring from scratches and gouging.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 23 Feb. 2026
Soon after, Bradley stumbles on Zuri’s body and confronts Linda, resulting in a brutal fight that includes stabbing, scalp ripping, and some really upsetting eye gouging.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
As the tournament approaches, some Kansas Citians have raised concerns over the condition of some short-term rentals, price-gouging, or, at the very least, offering subpar properties for premium prices.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 10 Dec. 2025
Verb
The true fans now get painted as the ones who can afford to spend four figures on tickets, book a last-minute flight on price-gouging airlines, take time off work, snatch up a downtown hotel for a couple of days and still have money left over for merch and alcohol.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 13 June 2026
The bipartisan House panel questioned four witnesses, including OutKick President Clay Travis, who accused the NFL of price gouging its massive audience in his opening statement.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 10 June 2026
Despite more than 2,000 county gouging complaints and an Altadena family’s lawsuit alleging illegally tripled rent, officials say regular market forces and existing rent controls will now dictate prices.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026
But these concerns have not gone unnoticed, as a bill is currently making its way through the California General Assembly that aims to cap resale prices as a way to limit ticket brokers and resale platforms from price-gouging fans.
—Noe Padilla, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Run a putty knife along the wet popcorn ceiling to scrape off the popcorn texture, but be careful to avoid gouging the ceiling with the corner of the putty knife.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Apr. 2026
Beyond the claims itself, evidence released in the trial had revealed some unflattering conversations between Live Nation representatives, perhaps most notably a set of exchanges between two regional employees bragging to each other about gouging concertgoers on ancillary fees and parking spaces.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 15 Apr. 2026
The session culminated in two new price-gouging laws.
—Richard Ramos, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Gillett contended the utilities were gouging the public.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gouging
Noun
-
Baldoni responded by filing a civil lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and others, for, among other things, extortion and defamation.—
Angeline Jane Bernabe,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
-
In January 2025, Baldoni responded by filing a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and others, alleging defamation, extortion, and related claims.—
Janelle Ash , Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Ants, mosquitoes, ticks, termites, stinging insects, and house flies are the most common and costly summer pests.—
Sharon Wu,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
-
If these stinging insects are nesting in your yard, look for the things that might be attracting wasps and learn how to keep them away.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Other research on high school cheating found in 2020 that 64% of 70,000 high school students across the country admitted to cheating on a test, and 58% admitted to plagiarism.—
Austin Sarat,
The Conversation,
17 June 2026
-
Whatever romance Rodrigo is tracing the history of apparently did not end in cheating or any other horrible behavior that would lead her back toward the kind of recriminatory rockers that were among the previous albums’ highlights.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
The insurance commissioner plays the vital role of making sure that insurance companies aren’t overcharging consumers and unjustifiably denying claims after policyholders’ premiums are paid.—
Riley Bunch,
AJC.com,
4 June 2026
-
Like conventional antitrust enforcers, Lynn faulted these corporate behemoths for overcharging consumers, undercutting their competition, and preventing innovation.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Gouging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gouging. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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