tariff

American  

[tar-if] / ˈtær ɪf /

noun

1. an official list or table showing the duties or customs imposed by a government on imports or exports.

2. the schedule or system of duties so imposed.

3. any duty or rate of duty in such a list or schedule.

4. any table of charges, as of a railroad, bus line, etc.

5. bill; cost; charge.

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verb (used with object)

1. to subject to a tariff.

2. to put a valuation on according to a tariff.

tariff British  

/ ˈtærɪf /

noun

1. 1. a tax levied by a government on imports or occasionally exports for purposes of protection, support of the balance of payments, or the raising of revenue

   2. a system or list of such taxes

2. any schedule of prices, fees, fares, etc

3. 1. a method of charging for the supply of services, esp public services, such as gas and electricity

      block tariff

   2. a schedule of such charges

4. a bill of fare with prices listed; menu

5. the level of punishment imposed for a criminal offence

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verb

1. to set a tariff on

2. to set a price on according to a schedule of tariffs

tariff Cultural  

1. A government tax on imports, designed either to raise revenue or to protect domestic industry from foreign competition.

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Usage

What does tariff mean? A tariff is a tax or duty on products that come into a country (imports) or leave it (exports), imposed by the country’s government.A tariff is also the list of taxes a government imposes on imports and exports.To tariff can mean to subject to a tariff.Example: There is a high tariff on foreign music CDs, so I just stream it instead.

Other Word Forms

• pretariff noun
• protariff adjective
• retariff verb (used with object)
• tariffless adjective

Etymology

Origin of tariff

First recorded in 1585–95; earlier tariffa, from Italian, from Arabic taʿrīfah, derivative of ʿarrafa “to make known,” akin to ʿarafa “to know”

Example Sentences

A domestic corruption scandal has hobbled infrastructure spending, weakening investor and business confidence, which was already shaky due to U.S. tariffs, and contributed to growth slowing to a five-year low in 2025.

From The Wall Street Journal

Eurozone government bond yields traded marginally lower in early trade as uncertainty over tariffs and falls in equities lifted safe-haven assets.

From The Wall Street Journal

"The risk of a real fully-fledged tariff war - trade war - escalation is clearly higher than last year," he said.

From BBC

"While the legal 'means' through which tariffs are implemented may change, the macroeconomic 'ends' will remain largely the same," said Michael Brown at Pepperstone.

From Barron's

The bond market appears unworried about the next decade, even as tariff’s enactment and now reversal heightens global trade uncertainty.

From Barron's

Related Words

• cost
• duty
• excise
• levy
• price
• rate
• tax
• toll