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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Example Sentences

“It’s obviously a pain because I have to go through customs twice each way,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

States need to recognize and protect these rights with “due respect to the customs, traditions and land tenure systems.”

From The Wall Street Journal

The trend in U.S.-China trade has extended into 2026, with China’s exports to the U.S. in January and February dropping 11% year over year, according to China’s customs agency.

From The Wall Street Journal

From 1998 onwards, the temporary moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions has been renewed at successive WTO ministerial conferences.

From Barron's

In January and February of this year, Beijing bought 16% more crude compared to the same time period a year earlier, according to its customs administration.

From BBC