surcharge

American  

[sur-chahrj, sur-chahrj, sur-chahrj] / ˈsɜrˌtʃɑrdʒ, sɜrˈtʃɑrdʒ, ˈsɜrˌtʃɑrdʒ /

noun

1. an additional charge, tax, or cost.

2. an excessive sum or price charged.

3. an additional or excessive load or burden.

4. Philately.

   1. an overprint that alters or restates the face value or denomination of a stamp to which it has been applied.

   2. a stamp bearing such an overprint.

5. act of surcharging.

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verb (used with object)

surcharged, surcharging

1. to subject to an additional or extra charge, tax, cost, etc. (for payment).

2. to overcharge for goods.

3. to show an omission in (an account) of something that operates as a charge against the accounting party; to omit a credit toward (an account).

4. Philately. to print a surcharge on (a stamp).

5. to put an additional or excessive burden upon.

surcharge British  

noun

1. a charge in addition to the usual payment, tax, etc

2. an excessive sum charged, esp when unlawful

3. an extra and usually excessive burden or supply

4. law the act or an instance of surcharging

5. an overprint that alters the face value of a postage stamp

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verb

1. to charge an additional sum, tax, etc

2. to overcharge (a person) for something

3. to put an extra physical burden upon; overload

4. to fill to excess; overwhelm

5. law to insert credits that have been omitted in (an account)

6. to overprint a surcharge on (a stamp)

Other Word Forms

• surcharger noun
• unsurcharged adjective

Etymology

Origin of surcharge

1400–50; late Middle English surchargen (v.) < Old French surcharger. See sur- ¹, charge

Explanation

A surcharge is an extra amount of money you have to pay when you buy something. If you purchase your concert tickets online instead of at the box office, you'll have to pay a five-dollar surcharge. Any added fee can be called a surcharge, whether it's the surcharge you pay for bringing an extra suitcase on an airplane or the surcharge a business pays every time a customer uses a credit card. As a verb, it means to charge someone an extra fee: "I'm changing banks because mine surcharges me every time I use my card at an ATM." In the 15th century, surcharge meant "overcharge" or "charge too much."

Example Sentences

In 2022, Lyft and Uber temporarily added a surcharge to their fares amid record-high gas prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

The surcharge would hit homes valued at $5 million or more if the owners have a separate primary residence outside of New York City.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Sukhdeep Singh, who owns Merced County-based Cali Brothers Truck Lines, said standard surcharge policies are insufficient when there are wild swings in fuel prices.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Indonesia is raising its aviation fuel surcharge and will allow airlines to raise domestic ticket prices, which the government caps, by up to 13 percent.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

When the eldest son was gone Wang Lung felt the house was purged of some surcharge of unrest and it was a relief to him.

From "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck

Related Words

• expense
• payment
• surtax
• tax