price gouging

American  

[prahys gau-jing] / ˈpraɪs ˌgaʊ dʒɪŋ /

noun

1. an act or instance of charging customers too high a price for goods or services, especially when demand is high and supplies are limited.

   The law prohibits price gouging during weather emergencies such as snowstorms.

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Other Word Forms

• price gouger
  noun
• price gouge
  verb (used with or without object)
• price-gouge
  verb (used with or without object)

Etymology

Origin of price gouging

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

price gouging

Meanwhile, price gouging can mean unsuspecting tourists can be charged upward of $1,000 for rides that last just 20 minutes.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

The prime minister's office asked the public to avoid panic-buying and warned that price gouging was a criminal offence.

From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026

Becker said he’s focused on evidence of price gouging in California specifically, where a small handful of refineries serve a relatively isolated market with limited alternatives for sourcing fuel.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

The Competition and Markets Authority said in May there was no widespread evidence of price gouging in the weeks after the conflict.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

When he heard the story, Hiatt said, “Looks like price gouging to me.”

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French