surcharge

American  

[sur-chahrj, sur-chahrj, sur-chahrj] / ˈsɜrˌtʃɑrdʒ, sɜrˈtʃɑrdʒ, ˈsɜrˌtʃɑrdʒ /

noun

1. an additional charge, tax, or cost.

2. an excessive sum or price charged.

3. an additional or excessive load or burden.

4. Philately.

   1. an overprint that alters or restates the face value or denomination of a stamp to which it has been applied.

   2. a stamp bearing such an overprint.

5. act of surcharging.

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verb (used with object)

surcharged, surcharging

1. to subject to an additional or extra charge, tax, cost, etc. (for payment).

2. to overcharge for goods.

3. to show an omission in (an account) of something that operates as a charge against the accounting party; to omit a credit toward (an account).

4. Philately. to print a surcharge on (a stamp).

5. to put an additional or excessive burden upon.

surcharge British  

noun

1. a charge in addition to the usual payment, tax, etc

2. an excessive sum charged, esp when unlawful

3. an extra and usually excessive burden or supply

4. law the act or an instance of surcharging

5. an overprint that alters the face value of a postage stamp

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verb

1. to charge an additional sum, tax, etc

2. to overcharge (a person) for something

3. to put an extra physical burden upon; overload

4. to fill to excess; overwhelm

5. law to insert credits that have been omitted in (an account)

6. to overprint a surcharge on (a stamp)

Other Word Forms

• surcharger noun
• unsurcharged adjective

Etymology

Origin of surcharge

1400–50; late Middle English surchargen (v.) < Old French surcharger. See sur- ¹, charge

Explanation

A surcharge is an extra amount of money you have to pay when you buy something. If you purchase your concert tickets online instead of at the box office, you'll have to pay a five-dollar surcharge. Any added fee can be called a surcharge, whether it's the surcharge you pay for bringing an extra suitcase on an airplane or the surcharge a business pays every time a customer uses a credit card. As a verb, it means to charge someone an extra fee: "I'm changing banks because mine surcharges me every time I use my card at an ATM." In the 15th century, surcharge meant "overcharge" or "charge too much."

Example Sentences

At one Skanska project, shippers for roofing materials are charging a fuel surcharge of $600 per truck, Cantando said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Sukhdeep Singh, who owns Merced County-based Cali Brothers Truck Lines, said standard surcharge policies are insufficient when there are wild swings in fuel prices.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Alongside the ban, chairwoman of the magistrates' bench Janis Sanders also ordered Walsh to pay a fixed penalty notice of £72, a surcharge of £28 and prosecution costs of £85.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

The carrier said separately on Tuesday that it plans to revise its fuel surcharge amid a sharp rise in global jet-fuel prices.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

It was $600 in all, a hefty sum in 1915—plus the surcharge for interest.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

Related Words

• expense
• payment
• surtax
• tax