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
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
In the past, Amazon has suppressed easily accessible buy buttons to prevent price-gouging or pressure brands to lower prices to match pricing on their own website or competitors.
—Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 20 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
Curtain calls Pankration was a form of sport invented by the ancient Greeks, a combination of wrestling and boxing in which almost everything short of biting and gouging was permitted.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2025
The only tactics barred were eye gouging, groin strikes, and biting, none of which was especially policed.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 11 Oct. 2025
Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Add Tree Guards Although rabbits will sometimes nibble on tree bark in winter, deer are more likely to do serious damage to young trees, either by stripping tree bark away with their teeth or gouging holes in the bark with their antlers.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Dec. 2025
Ahead of its biggest ever World Cup tournament, FIFA has been accused of greed on an industrial scale, gouging the pockets of supporters who are the lifeblood of the game.
—Don Riddell, CNN Money, 17 Dec. 2025
At least the climactic pandemonium has some of that old REC intensity; Plaza dynamically orchestrates the violence, dazzling the eyes of his audience one minute, gouging the eyes of his characters the next.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
There’s no question Newsom — who had spent months excoriating refiners for gouging consumers on gasoline prices, even calling a special legislative session to impose new regulations — changed his tune after two refineries announced plans to shut down.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2025
The residency’s first nine shows were only available to Puerto Rico residents, and when tickets went on sale in January, the prices for all shows ranged between $35 and $250, a rarity in an era of concert price-gouging and Ticketmaster wars.
—Maya Rosenberg, NBC news, 13 Sep. 2025
Minadeo jumped on Buck's back and put him in a choke hold while gouging at his eyes, according to the lawsuit.
—Craig Shoup, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
Noun
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
In the past, Amazon has suppressed easily accessible buy buttons to prevent price-gouging or pressure brands to lower prices to match pricing on their own website or competitors.
—Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 20 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
Curtain calls Pankration was a form of sport invented by the ancient Greeks, a combination of wrestling and boxing in which almost everything short of biting and gouging was permitted.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2025
The only tactics barred were eye gouging, groin strikes, and biting, none of which was especially policed.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 11 Oct. 2025
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
Add Tree Guards Although rabbits will sometimes nibble on tree bark in winter, deer are more likely to do serious damage to young trees, either by stripping tree bark away with their teeth or gouging holes in the bark with their antlers.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Dec. 2025
Ahead of its biggest ever World Cup tournament, FIFA has been accused of greed on an industrial scale, gouging the pockets of supporters who are the lifeblood of the game.
—Don Riddell, CNN Money, 17 Dec. 2025
At least the climactic pandemonium has some of that old REC intensity; Plaza dynamically orchestrates the violence, dazzling the eyes of his audience one minute, gouging the eyes of his characters the next.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
There’s no question Newsom — who had spent months excoriating refiners for gouging consumers on gasoline prices, even calling a special legislative session to impose new regulations — changed his tune after two refineries announced plans to shut down.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2025
The residency’s first nine shows were only available to Puerto Rico residents, and when tickets went on sale in January, the prices for all shows ranged between $35 and $250, a rarity in an era of concert price-gouging and Ticketmaster wars.
—Maya Rosenberg, NBC news, 13 Sep. 2025
Minadeo jumped on Buck's back and put him in a choke hold while gouging at his eyes, according to the lawsuit.
—Craig Shoup, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gouging
Noun
-
Federal prosecutors there indicted Venezuelan nationals accused of participating in organized robberies, kidnappings, extortion schemes and firearms offenses tied to the transnational gang Tren de Aragua.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Persico, 62, was the heir apparent to the crime family in 2023 when he was sentenced to five years behind bars for a labor union extortion plot.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Luhmann, who traveled from Illinois to Minnesota to document the immigration enforcement surge, said his hands were stinging from the different smoke bombs and pepper sprays deployed that day.—
Minneapolis Star Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
-
When treating frostbite at this stage, a person might feel stinging, burning and swelling in the affected area.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
An honor council, comprised of administrators, teachers, and members of the student government, would sit in judgment on cases of alleged cheating.—
Nell Freudenberger,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
In the wake of the cheating, FIS has modified its rules and brought in a coordinator to oversee screening of gear and hired former Austrian ski jumper Mathias Hafele to work as equipment expert.—
Brian Melley,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Best Care was previously accused in civil court of fraudulently billing or overcharging the federal government for healthcare services that were never actually performed.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
1 Jan. 2026
-
Last year, McDonald's sparked outrage after customers began sharing their experiences of being charged nearly $20 for a single Big Mac meal combo - which many accusing the fast-food brand, typically associated with affordable food, of overcharging.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Nov. 2025
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 1 Feb. 2026.
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