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)

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Etymology

Origin of price gouging

First recorded in 1915–20

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

price gouging

He has vowed to sue Airbnb if it engages in price gouging, and he knows the Los Angeles Police Department is a major factor in the city’s rising litigation costs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 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

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

“Because of this, charging inflated prices on necessities is considered price gouging and profiteering against vulnerable incarcerated population who have no ability to refuse or shop elsewhere.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

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

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

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