as in taxes
a charge usually of money collected by the government from people or businesses for public use
the legislators approved a new levy on imported cattle to help protect American ranchers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in drafts
to pick especially for required military service
unprepared for war, the government was forced to levy young citizens on a scale that was unprecedented in its history
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in imposes
to establish or apply as a charge or penalty
the baseball commissioner levied a fine against every player involved in the fracas
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of levies
Editorial, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
The FairTax Act of 2025 was the latest bid to abolish the Internal Revenue Service and replace income tax and other levies with a national sales tax.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
After securing a judgment, debt collectors may be able to pursue wage garnishment or bank account levies, depending on state laws and the type of debt.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
While bonds are used to pay for projects, governments typically use tax levies to pay for operating expenses like wages, health care or utilities.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026
But on April 22 , Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the levies on China — then 145% — would not last and that there would be de-escalation with the country on trade.
—Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2026
But the administration has also used the threat of new levies to strike deals with major companies — like Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Bristol Myers Squibb — over the last year, with promises of lower prices for new drugs.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Officials imposed the tariffs under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, which allows the president to stand up levies related to national security after conducting investigations.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 2 Apr. 2026
House Bill 1116 would cap the growth of local property tax levies for schools and other local governments at 3% annually or the rate of inflation, whichever is higher.
—Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 2 Apr. 2026
Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026
The initiative levies a 5% one-time tax on California billionaires, with 90% of the revenue going to fund health care services affected by the 2025 megabill.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Islamabad frequently levies the allegation at its western neighbor as militant violence has surged in Pakistan, accusing Afghanistan of supporting the Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, and outlawed Baloch separatist groups.
—Munir Ahmed, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
For example, many hotels in the city belong to the Convention Center Facility District, which levies an additional 4% room tax to fund the rehabilitation and expansion of the convention center.
—Devan Patel, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026
As Sam Stolton reports, the development could — if Google is eventually found to be non-compliant with the rules — pave the way for potential fines as high as 10% of global annual sales, though Brussels regulators seldom levies the maximum penalties.
—Suzanne Lynch, Bloomberg, 27 Jan. 2026
Idaho already levies an additional $140 annual fee for electric vehicle owners and in 2021, lawmakers unsuccessfully attempted to double these fees.
—Idaho Statesman, 10 Dec. 2025
Casting blame on Tylenol for autism wrongly positions the condition as a problem—and levies unfair guilt on moms.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 23 Sep. 2025
Unlike the blanket levies the US imposed on much of the world in April, the steel and aluminum tariffs are not the target of litigation making its way to the Supreme Court.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Noun
As the Journal notes, the primary reason many wealthy blue state residents will benefit is a provision in the tax bill that quadruples how much in state and local levies an individual wage earner may write-off on his or her federal return.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
The FairTax Act of 2025 was the latest bid to abolish the Internal Revenue Service and replace income tax and other levies with a national sales tax.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
After securing a judgment, debt collectors may be able to pursue wage garnishment or bank account levies, depending on state laws and the type of debt.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
While bonds are used to pay for projects, governments typically use tax levies to pay for operating expenses like wages, health care or utilities.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026
But on April 22 , Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the levies on China — then 145% — would not last and that there would be de-escalation with the country on trade.
—Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2026
But the administration has also used the threat of new levies to strike deals with major companies — like Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Bristol Myers Squibb — over the last year, with promises of lower prices for new drugs.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Officials imposed the tariffs under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, which allows the president to stand up levies related to national security after conducting investigations.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 2 Apr. 2026
House Bill 1116 would cap the growth of local property tax levies for schools and other local governments at 3% annually or the rate of inflation, whichever is higher.
—Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
Finally, the governor’s plan calls for raising the residential exemption on the 20-mills that Kansas levies to support public schools.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026
The initiative levies a 5% one-time tax on California billionaires, with 90% of the revenue going to fund health care services affected by the 2025 megabill.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Islamabad frequently levies the allegation at its western neighbor as militant violence has surged in Pakistan, accusing Afghanistan of supporting the Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, and outlawed Baloch separatist groups.
—Munir Ahmed, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
For example, many hotels in the city belong to the Convention Center Facility District, which levies an additional 4% room tax to fund the rehabilitation and expansion of the convention center.
—Devan Patel, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026
As Sam Stolton reports, the development could — if Google is eventually found to be non-compliant with the rules — pave the way for potential fines as high as 10% of global annual sales, though Brussels regulators seldom levies the maximum penalties.
—Suzanne Lynch, Bloomberg, 27 Jan. 2026
Idaho already levies an additional $140 annual fee for electric vehicle owners and in 2021, lawmakers unsuccessfully attempted to double these fees.
—Idaho Statesman, 10 Dec. 2025
Casting blame on Tylenol for autism wrongly positions the condition as a problem—and levies unfair guilt on moms.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 23 Sep. 2025
Unlike the blanket levies the US imposed on much of the world in April, the steel and aluminum tariffs are not the target of litigation making its way to the Supreme Court.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for levies
Verb
-
The team that drafts him will be betting on development, not immediate return.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
-
If Miami drafts correctly, something that was a dark stain of the last regime’s tenure, and hits on late free agent additions such as Rasul Douglas in 2025, the Dolphins might be better than previously thought.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Almost every state imposes sales tax, except for Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon, which instead allows cities to charge a local sales tax.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Plaintiffs' lawyers say the latest policy also imposes unprecedented rules dictating when reporters can offer anonymity to sources.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Marine recruits jog at Parris Island on Thursday.—
Betsy Badell,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The three-year-old startup, which is valued at $10 billion, recruits experts in fields ranging from medicine to law to literature, to help provide data that improves the capabilities of AI models.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His administration charges into the same cultural battles Moms for Liberty staked its name on, including a push to keep transgender athletes out of girls’ sports.—
Collin Binkley,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The two alternate versions of each other trade insults, but Spidey Miles charges up an electric venom shock and frees himself.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The state of California also fines taxpayers who didn’t withhold enough from their paychecks, with rates varying by offense.—
Alexiah Syrai Olsen,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Watchdog Fintrac fines crypto exchange Cryptomus some $126 million for failing to flag potentially criminal transactions.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Levies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/levies. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
