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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gouging
Noun
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But his problems didn’t stop there: the investigator was also caught at the center of a massive crime enterprise that involved police corruption, drug deals, prostitution rings, extortion and more.—
Lynsey Eidell,
People.com,
23 July 2025 -
In a court filing, a DHS official also stated Moreno had two active arrest warrants in Aragua, Venezuela, for three felony charges including theft of a vehicle, strong-arm robbery/hijacking of a vehicle and extortion.—
ProPublica,
ProPublica,
23 July 2025
Verb
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Lars Baron/Getty Images/Getty Images Europe The ski jumping world remains embroiled in controversy stemming from a cheating scandal that was announced this week, initially involving a few members of the Norwegian team.—
Manuela López Restrepo,
NPR,
14 Mar. 2025
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Netflix’s first season of Temptation Island was filled with cheating men, frustrated women, and lots of flashing red lights as folks repeatedly hooked up in an outdoor tent.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
13 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Gouging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gouging. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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