# excise

/ˈɛksaɪz/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/excise
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. a tax on goods

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a tax paid to the government on specific goods made or sold within a country, such as petrol, tobacco, or alcohol.

For teachers: an internal tax levied on the manufacture, sale, or consumption of specific commodities within a country. Uncountable in its general sense; countable when referring to specific types of these taxes.

- The government decided to increase the excise on tobacco to discourage smoking.
- Economists argued that raising the excise on luxury vehicles would generate significant revenue without disproportionately affecting lower-income households.

Usage: Often used in the phrase 'excise duty' or 'excise tax'.

### 2. to remove by cutting

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to remove something completely by cutting it out, such as a part of a body during surgery or a sentence from a book.

For teachers: to remove a section or part by cutting; used in surgical, editorial, or metaphorical contexts. Transitive — requires a direct object.

- The editor told the author to excise the last two chapters to make the book shorter.
- The surgeon had to excise the damaged tissue to prevent the infection from spreading to the surrounding healthy muscle.

Teaching tip: In editorial contexts, this is a more formal and precise alternative to 'cut' or 'delete'.

## Examples

- The government plans to increase the excise on tobacco next year.
- Revenue from the fuel excise is typically earmarked for the maintenance and expansion of national highways.
- Economists argue that an excise on sugar-sweetened beverages can serve both as a source of public revenue and as a tool for improving national health outcomes.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.