as in to sting
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
Relevance
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 gouge
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
Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 28 Sep. 2025
The mile-wide, 550-foot-deep gouge people see today was crafted in roughly 10 seconds when the meteorite, traveling at 26,000 mph, crash-landed in what was then a forest of juniper and piñon pines.
—Olivia Rose, AZCentral.com, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gouge
Verb
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
Noun
But hey, whiskey nerds are gonna whiskey nerd and whiskey sellers are gonna gouge.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 28 Sep. 2025
The mile-wide, 550-foot-deep gouge people see today was crafted in roughly 10 seconds when the meteorite, traveling at 26,000 mph, crash-landed in what was then a forest of juniper and piñon pines.
—Olivia Rose, AZCentral.com, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gouge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gouge
Verb
-
Nothing stings quite like being steps from getting your credit card out to make a glorious purchase, and finding that your promo code isn’t working.—
Hannah Chubb,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 June 2026
-
Ants, mosquitoes, ticks, termites, stinging insects, and house flies are the most common and costly summer pests.—
Sharon Wu,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
This is why calls to restore power to government institutions ring hollow, and why the Democratic Party’s faith in institutions can appear naive and godless.—
Scott Warren,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2026
-
The backrest and seat are generously padded with dense foam, with no noticeable hollows.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
What follows is less about whether you are being overcharged and more about who, exactly, is deciding your number.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2026
-
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
Noun
-
Measure 4 inches to either side of this point (rounding up or down to find the nearest grooves), to create an 8-inch-wide doorway.—
Ella Field,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 June 2026
-
Willis was getting into a groove as the Dolphins put the offense and defense against each other for a situational end-of-half drive.—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Jay Cooke, who had once been lionized for his role in financing the Union victory, was attacked in the press and accused of cheating ordinary Americans out of their savings.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
-
The reunion comes 15 years after the couple divorced amid rumors of a cheating scandal.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
Solid-state batteries replace that liquid with solid materials, making cells more resistant to impact, puncture, and heat, dramatically reducing fire risk, and – most importantly – packing far more energy into the same weight.—
Omar Kardoudi
June 12,
New Atlas,
12 June 2026
-
Stepping on one could result in a painful, venom-laden puncture wound.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
The National Park Service already implemented a $100 per person surcharge for non-U.S. residents per daily visit to the most popular national parks, and Trump wants to put the change into law.—
Garrett Downs,Gabrielle Fonrouge,
CNBC,
11 May 2026
-
Massachusetts law requires utility companies to collect an energy efficiency surcharge on all Massachusetts energy consumers.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Police said Clark suffered non-life-threatening stab wounds to his upper chest, arm, mid-back and knee.—
CBS News Atlanta Digital Team,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
-
The Broad Arrow auction is Meiling’s second stab at finding a new owner for the car.—
Howard Walker,
Robb Report,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gouge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gouge. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
