Charge

/t͡ʃɑːd͡ʒ/ noun, verb, slang

noun, verb, slang ·Top 500 ·Elementary level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: The amount of money levied for a service.
  • Grammar: charge is listed as noun, verb, slang.
  • Nearest alternatives: accusation, electric charge, accountability, accounting for.
  • Useful contrasts: most void, abandonment, acquit.
  • Usage evidence: Banks charge higher interest on loans to risky customers.

How to use "charge"

  1. Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "charge" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.

Meaning check

  • Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
  • Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
  • Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
  • Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?

Source and review context

This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "charge" in a final draft.

If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.

Before you rely on this definition

Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "charge" as the right word for your sentence.

If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "charge" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.

Compare nearby meanings

  • Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
  • Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
  • Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
  • Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.

Definition decision workflow

1. Identify the role

Check whether "charge" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.

2. Test the nearest option

Compare it with "accusation" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.

3. Confirm with context

Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.

Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.

Final meaning check

Before publishing a sentence with "charge", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.

When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The amount of money levied for a service. countable, uncountable

    "There will be a charge of five dollars."

  2. 2
    Ellipsis of CHARGE syndrome. abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, uncountable
  3. 3
    a special assignment that is given to a person or group wordnet
  4. 4
    An attack in which combatants rush towards an enemy in an attempt to engage in close combat. countable, uncountable

    "Pickett's Charge; the Charge of the Light Brigade"

  5. 5
    attention and management implying responsibility for safety wordnet
Show 32 more definitions
  1. 6
    A forceful forward movement. countable, uncountable

    "Abou Diaby should have added Arsenal's fourth in the 50th minute after he danced round a host of defenders on a charge towards goal"

  2. 7
    an impetuous rush toward someone or something wordnet
  3. 8
    An accusation.; An official description (by the police or a court) of a crime that somebody may be guilty of. countable, uncountable

    "two charges of manslaughter"

  4. 9
    a quantity of explosive to be set off at one time wordnet
  5. 10
    An accusation.; An accusation by a person or organization. countable, uncountable

    "That's a slanderous charge of abuse of trust."

  6. 11
    heraldry consisting of a design or image depicted on a shield wordnet
  7. 12
    An electric charge. countable, uncountable
  8. 13
    (criminal law) a pleading describing some wrong or offense wordnet
  9. 14
    The scope of someone's responsibility. countable, uncountable

    "The child was in the nanny's charge."

  10. 15
    an assertion that someone is guilty of a fault or offence wordnet
  11. 16
    Someone or something entrusted to one's care, such as a child to a babysitter or a student to a teacher. countable, uncountable

    "The child was a charge of the nanny."

  12. 17
    a formal statement of a command or injunction to do something wordnet
  13. 18
    A load or burden; cargo. countable, uncountable

    "The ship had a charge of colonists and their belongings."

  14. 19
    request for payment of a debt wordnet
  15. 20
    An instruction. countable, uncountable

    "I gave him the charge to get the deal closed by the end of the month."

  16. 21
    the swift release of a store of affective force wordnet
  17. 22
    A mortgage. countable, uncountable
  18. 23
    (psychoanalysis) the libidinal energy invested in some idea or person or object wordnet
  19. 24
    An offensive foul in which the player with the ball moves into a stationary defender. countable, uncountable
  20. 25
    a person committed to your care wordnet
  21. 26
    A measured amount of powder and/or shot in a cartridge. countable, uncountable
  22. 27
    the quantity of unbalanced electricity in a body (either positive or negative) and construed as an excess or deficiency of electrons wordnet
  23. 28
    A measured amount of explosive. broadly, countable, uncountable

    "Watt might have broken the door down, with an axe, or a crow, or a small charge of explosive, but this might have aroused Erskine's suspicions, and Watt did not want that."

  24. 29
    the price charged for some article or service wordnet
  25. 30
    An image displayed on an escutcheon. countable, uncountable

    "Near-synonym: emblem"

  26. 31
    financial liabilities (such as a tax) wordnet
  27. 32
    A position (of a weapon) fitted for attack. countable, uncountable

    "to bring a weapon to the charge"

  28. 33
    A sort of plaster or ointment. countable, uncountable
  29. 34
    Weight; import; value. countable, obsolete, uncountable

    "many suchlike as's of great charge"

  30. 35
    A measure of thirty-six pigs of lead, each pig weighing about seventy pounds; a charre. countable, historical, obsolete, uncountable
  31. 36
    An address given at a church service concluding a visitation. countable, uncountable
  32. 37
    Cannabis. slang, uncountable

    "At about the same time I went off pills and started smoking charge marijuana, you know."

Verb
  1. 1
    To assign a duty or responsibility to; to order.

    "Moses […] charged you to love the Lord your God."

  2. 2
    saturate wordnet
  3. 3
    To assign (a debit) to an account. transitive

    "Let's charge this to marketing."

  4. 4
    energize a battery by passing a current through it in the direction opposite to discharge wordnet
  5. 5
    To require payment (of) (a price or fee, for goods, services, etc.). ambitransitive

    "to charge high for goods"

Show 42 more definitions
  1. 6
    cause formation of a net electrical charge in or on wordnet
  2. 7
    To pay on account, as by using a credit card. US, transitive

    "Can I charge my purchase to my credit card?"

  3. 8
    set or ask for a certain price wordnet
  4. 9
    To sell (something) at a given price. dated, transitive

    "to charge coal at $5 per unit"

  5. 10
    attribute responsibility to wordnet
  6. 11
    To formally accuse (a person) of a crime. transitive

    "I'm charging you with assault and battery."

  7. 12
    instruct or command with authority wordnet
  8. 13
    To mortgage (a property). transitive
  9. 14
    instruct (a jury) about the law, its application, and the weighing of evidence wordnet
  10. 15
    To impute or ascribe.

    "No more accuse thy pen, but charge the crime / On native sloth, and negligence of time."

  11. 16
    impose a task upon, assign a responsibility to wordnet
  12. 17
    To call to account; to challenge.

    "to charge me to an answer"

  13. 18
    blame for, make a claim of wrongdoing or misbehavior against wordnet
  14. 19
    To place a burden, load or responsibility on or in. transitive

    "the charging of children's memories[…] with rules"

  15. 20
    make an accusatory claim wordnet
  16. 21
    To place a burden, load or responsibility on or in.; To ornament with or cause to bear. transitive

    "to charge an architectural member with a moulding"

  17. 22
    file a formal charge against wordnet
  18. 23
    To place a burden, load or responsibility on or in.; To assume as a bearing. transitive

    "He charges three roses."

  19. 24
    to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle wordnet
  20. 25
    To place a burden, load or responsibility on or in.; To add to or represent on. transitive

    "He charges his shield with three roses or."

  21. 26
    direct into a position for use wordnet
  22. 27
    To load equipment with material required for its use, as a firearm with powder, a fire hose with water, a chemical reactor with raw materials. transitive

    "Charge your weapons; we're moving up."

  23. 28
    fill or load to capacity wordnet
  24. 29
    To load equipment with material required for its use, as a firearm with powder, a fire hose with water, a chemical reactor with raw materials.; To cause to take on an electric charge. transitive

    "Rubbing amber with wool will charge it quickly."

  25. 30
    provide (a device) with something necessary wordnet
  26. 31
    To load equipment with material required for its use, as a firearm with powder, a fire hose with water, a chemical reactor with raw materials.; To replenish energy to (a battery, or a device containing a battery) by use of an electrical device plugged into a power outlet. transitive

    "He charged the battery overnight."

  27. 32
    place a heraldic bearing on wordnet
  28. 33
    To load equipment with material required for its use, as a firearm with powder, a fire hose with water, a chemical reactor with raw materials.; To replenish energy. intransitive, transitive

    "The battery is still charging: I can't use it yet."

  29. 34
    cause to be agitated, excited, or roused wordnet
  30. 35
    To move forward quickly and forcefully, particularly in combat and/or on horseback. intransitive

    "Faced with an enemy whose largest gun turrets weigh more than the entire ship, Johnston decides that running is boring, and instead pulls a full 180-degree turn and charges straight back at the attacking forces."

  31. 36
    lie down on command, of hunting dogs wordnet
  32. 37
    To move forward quickly and forcefully, particularly in combat and/or on horseback.; To attack by moving forward quickly in a group. intransitive, transitive

    "The impetuous corps charged the enemy lines."

  33. 38
    move quickly and violently wordnet
  34. 39
    To move forward quickly and forcefully, particularly in combat and/or on horseback.; To commit a charging foul. intransitive
  35. 40
    pay with a credit card; pay with plastic money; postpone payment by recording a purchase as a debt wordnet
  36. 41
    To move forward quickly and forcefully, particularly in combat and/or on horseback.; To take a few steps down the pitch towards the bowler as they deliver the ball, either to disrupt the length of the delivery, or to get into a better position to hit the ball. intransitive
  37. 42
    demand payment wordnet
  38. 43
    To lie on the belly and be still. (A command given by a hunter to a dog) transitive
  39. 44
    enter a certain amount as a charge wordnet
  40. 45
    give over to another for care or safekeeping wordnet
  41. 46
    cause to be admitted; of persons to an institution wordnet
  42. 47
    assign a duty, responsibility or obligation to wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
accusationelectric chargeaccountabilityaccounting foraccounts payableaccounts receivable

Antonyms

most voidabandonmentacquitacquittal

Example

"Banks charge higher interest on loans to risky customers."

Common questions

What does "charge" mean?

The amount of money levied for a service.

What is a synonym for "charge"?

Common synonyms include: accusation, electric charge, accountability, accounting for, accounts payable, accounts receivable.

How do you use "charge" in a sentence?

Banks charge higher interest on loans to risky customers.

How do you pronounce "charge"?

Pronounced /t͡ʃɑːd͡ʒ/.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *ḱr̥sós Proto-Celtic *karros Gaulish *karrosbor. Late Latin carrus Late Latin -ico Late Latin carricō Late Latin carricāre Old French chargierder. Middle English chargen English charge From Middle English chargen, from Old French chargier, from Late Latin carricō (“to load”), from Latin carrus (“a car, wagon”); see car. Doublet of cargo.

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Synonyms

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