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• charge-off
  charge-off

  noun

  a write-off, especially of a bad loan by a bank.
• charge off
  charge off

  Hurriedly depart, run away, as in After a few minutes, she charged off to the next exhibit . This term alludes to the military meaning of charge , “attack impetuously.” [Early 1500s]

charge-off

American  

[chahrj-awf, -of] / ˈtʃɑrdʒˌɔf, -ˌɒf /

Or chargeoff

noun

1. a write-off, especially of a bad loan by a bank.

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charge off Idioms  

1. Hurriedly depart, run away, as in After a few minutes, she charged off to the next exhibit . This term alludes to the military meaning of charge , “attack impetuously.” [Early 1500s]

2. Also, charge against . Consider or count as an accounting loss or expense, as in I'm charging off this purchase to overhead , or Let's charge the new computer against office supplies . [Late 1800s] Also see write off .

3. Attribute to, blame something for, as in We can charge off these errors to inexperience .

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Etymology

Origin of charge-off

charge + (write)-off ( def. )

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

charge-off charge off

To put the charge-off figures in perspective, the bank’s loan-loss reserves covered 1.09% of total loans and leases as of March 31.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 15, 2026

It forecast net interest income of $103 billion and adjusted expenses of $105 billion for 2026, and a net charge-off rate of 3.4% in credit cards.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 13, 2026

And it seeks a net charge-off rate of 0.5% to 0.55% through the cycle.

From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2025

“When you see one cockroach, there are probably more,” JPMorgan Chase Chief Executive Jamie Dimon said Tuesday after his bank reported a $170 million charge-off related to Tricolor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2025

Zions’s announcement about its charge-off last week sent regional bank shares down, as investors are more concerned about potential losses following the bankruptcies of auto supplier First Brands and lender Tricolor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2025

Western Alliance said it would charge off $126.4 million on the loan, out of the $337 million initially borrowed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 17, 2026

Most charge off as if the race is only one lap, rather than the 527 that the eventual winner completes.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2024

You can charge off a laptop if you have one.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 31, 2021

The former Ohio State head coach said he also witnessed Brady take charge off the field – something he believes sets him apart from the rest.

From Fox News ● Mar. 30, 2021

“Can I get a charge off your computer BTW?”

From "Turtles All the Way Down" by John Green

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