price gouging

American  

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

Etymology

Origin of price gouging

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

The influx of foreign visitors in December is seen as a positive by many, but some locals complain of price gouging, overcrowding and intense traffic during this period.

From BBC

Worse, most of these sports have partnered and entangled themselves in the legal “secondary” market, where price gouging is the expected norm.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Also expect more ‘price gouging’ investigations into food industries,” they wrote.

From MarketWatch

He believes the green transition will pay off but says more needs to be done to stop companies building the new green grid from price gouging.

From The Wall Street Journal

One senior executive in the credit-reporting industry told Lansing that his company’s price hikes practices amount to price gouging.

From The Wall Street Journal