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
Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026
The public better wake up, because the creativity of the MTA, and Hochul’s gouging of a disinterested and unwise public, have no limits.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026
Furniture pads on the bottoms of heavy furniture help protect laminate flooring from scratches and gouging.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 23 Feb. 2026
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
Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Apr. 2026
Beyond the claims itself, evidence released in the trial had revealed some unflattering conversations between Live Nation representatives, perhaps most notably a set of exchanges between two regional employees bragging to each other about gouging concertgoers on ancillary fees and parking spaces.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 15 Apr. 2026
The session culminated in two new price-gouging laws.
—Richard Ramos, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Gillett contended the utilities were gouging the public.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
Others representing landlords said the number of price-gouging complaints had fallen off since April, signaling no need for extended protections.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
Hydee Feldstein Soto’s office has filed seven price-gouging lawsuits — three civil, four criminal — ranging from individual landlords to housing companies such as Blueground and Airbnb.
—Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
The price-gouging allegation dates back to the early months of the pandemic, when panic over shortages led to massive supermarket shopping sprees, and some products, such as eggs, saw sharp price increases.
—Imelda García, Dallas Morning News, 15 Jan. 2026
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
Noun
President Lee Jae Myung also advised his government to crack down on oil refinery companies and gas stations to prevent price-gouging while making efforts to secure supply ships that do not pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026
The public better wake up, because the creativity of the MTA, and Hochul’s gouging of a disinterested and unwise public, have no limits.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026
Furniture pads on the bottoms of heavy furniture help protect laminate flooring from scratches and gouging.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 23 Feb. 2026
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
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
Beyond the claims itself, evidence released in the trial had revealed some unflattering conversations between Live Nation representatives, perhaps most notably a set of exchanges between two regional employees bragging to each other about gouging concertgoers on ancillary fees and parking spaces.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 15 Apr. 2026
The session culminated in two new price-gouging laws.
—Richard Ramos, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Gillett contended the utilities were gouging the public.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
Others representing landlords said the number of price-gouging complaints had fallen off since April, signaling no need for extended protections.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
Hydee Feldstein Soto’s office has filed seven price-gouging lawsuits — three civil, four criminal — ranging from individual landlords to housing companies such as Blueground and Airbnb.
—Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
The price-gouging allegation dates back to the early months of the pandemic, when panic over shortages led to massive supermarket shopping sprees, and some products, such as eggs, saw sharp price increases.
—Imelda García, Dallas Morning News, 15 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gouging
Noun
-
Karimova has faced a series of trials after a first conviction in Uzbekistan eight years ago, and is serving a 13-year sentence for organizing a criminal group, extortion and embezzlement.—
Jamey Keaten,
Fortune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
But in 2003, Santa Barbara police arrested Jackson on 10 criminal counts, including child molestation, abduction, false imprisonment, and extortion.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Captain Ethan Ampadu is one of the survivors of that stinging 2024 play-off final defeat.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Trump was the butt of several stinging jokes made by both President Barack Obama and comedian Seth Meyers.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But even for in-person classes, adaptations to prevent LLM cheating are often concessions that reduce pedagogical quality.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Time and again, the panel of experts invited to provide testimony said voter fraud is exceedingly rare and that there is no evidence of widespread cheating.—
Linh Tat,
Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For the past five months, the company was overcharging her $94 a month.—
Carolyn Stein,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
-
These panels feed electricity to a charge controller, which manages how the battery is charged to prevent overcharging.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
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 2 May. 2026.
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