customs

British  

/ ˈkʌstəmz /

noun

1. duty on imports or exports

2. the government department responsible for the collection of these duties

3. the part of a port, airport, frontier station, etc, where baggage and freight are examined for dutiable goods and contraband

4. the procedure for examining baggage and freight, paying duty, etc

5. ( as modifier )

   customs officer

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Explanation

Customs are taxes, or duties, that you sometimes have to pay when you import goods from another country. When you return home from a trip to another country, you have to clear customs by talking to a customs officer and declaring everything you bought or got as a gift while you were traveling. If you're bringing in a lot of stuff, you may have to pay customs — the duty on imports. Customs are a source of income for a country, and they also provide control over what’s coming in.

Example Sentences

Customs began accepting its first refund claims April 20, and said that it expected refund payments to begin hitting importers’ online accounts on or around May 11.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

Masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided Complete Autowash on a chilly Tuesday morning in January 2025, eight days after President Trump’s second inauguration.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

Customs department spokesman Kishor Bartaula said the number of EVs would rise further with hundreds awaiting clearance at Nepal's ports.

From Barron's • May 3, 2026

After Urbina told local and federal authorities she had been tricked out of her day in court, Immigration and Customs Enforcement switched her scheduled December virtual check-in to an in-person meeting.

From Salon • May 2, 2026

Customs Officer II nodded and wrote something down.

From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram