GOUGE Synonyms: 33 Similar and Opposite Words

gouge 1 of 2

verb

Definition of gouge

as in to sting

to charge (someone) too much for goods or services since I had forgotten the sunscreen, I was forced to buy it from the concession stand at the beach—where they gouged me for it

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

undercharge

gouge

2 of 2

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of gouge

Verb

Also, refrain from pressure washing aggressively, as this can gouge the wood. — Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 July 2026 The agencies also encouraged states with price-gouging statutes to determine whether enforcement actions are warranted under those laws. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2026

Noun

Could the growling creature be responsible for the gouges by Zampanò’s dead body? — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 12 June 2026 Fighters cannot bite, strike the back of their opponent’s head or spine, grab the cage, or gouge eyeballs. — Bhumika Tharoor, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for gouge

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gouge

Verb

Indy struggled against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in its season opener, then took a stinging 33-30 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

— Elise Devlin, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2026
General Mills spun off Darden Restaurants in 1995, and then Darden sold Red Lobster in 2014, in a deal with the private equity firm Golden Gate Capital that still stings many veterans to this day.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of sting

Noun

As long as you nestle each new layer into the hollows below, either method will ultimately lead to a version of the same structure, with a density of about 74 percent.

— Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026
Arcadia Valley Missouri The hills, hollows, caves, and springs of the Missouri Ozarks all promise great fall drives.

— Hannah Agran, Midwest Living, 12 Sep. 2026

Definition of hollow

Verb

An accusation can do enormous damage before the full story is known, particularly when prosecutors overcharge and speak publicly as though guilt has already been decided.

— Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
The White House has started sending $500 Obamacare refund checks to nearly 1 million Americans who the administration says were overcharged for their insurance.

— Natalia Mittelstadt, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of overcharge

Verb

The company remains one of the world’s largest automakers and carries the legacy of Dieselgate, the emissions-cheating scandal that cost it billions of dollars in fines, settlements and other penalties.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
At the same time, as families pour more resources into preparing young people for the exams, frequent cheating scandals and test cancellations can make their investment moot.

— Aakash Hassan, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of cheat

Noun

The victim suffered multiple stab wounds to the body and was taken to the University of Chicago Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

— Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
But Carrie is Flanagan’s first stab at turning a King work into a TV series (as well as his first TV work under a new deal with Prime Video), and the result is cause for concern.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of stab

Browse Nearby Words

gouaches

gouge

gouged

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Gouge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gouge. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of gouge

verb

noun

Example Sentences

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