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

And for good measure, there's already been a very public tiff with the industry, after ministers started talking about price gouging and profiteering.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

"You've got price gouging, and the way to deal with that is ensure that customers are treated fairly and that companies are not ripping off their customers", she said.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

And industry observers are already directing public scrutiny toward competitors like StubHub, also notorious for alleged price gouging.

From Slate • Mar. 10, 2026

Officials were quick to respond, vowing crackdowns on price gouging.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2026

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

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