# surcharge

/ˈsɝˌtʃɑɹdʒ/ (US) · /sˈɜːtʃɑːdʒ/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. extra fee

noun · CEFR B2

an extra amount of money added to the basic price of something.

For teachers: an additional charge, tax, or cost added to the standard price of a good or service.

- The airline added a fuel surcharge to the price of the ticket.
- Many restaurants now include a service surcharge for large groups to ensure staff are compensated fairly for the additional labour.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'on' or 'for'.

### 2. stamp overprint

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a new price printed over the original value on a postage stamp.

For teachers: an overprint on a postage stamp that alters its face value, frequently employed during periods of rapid inflation.

- Collectors look for rare stamps where the surcharge was printed upside down.
- During the hyperinflation of the 1920s, the postal service issued a surcharge on existing stock rather than printing new denominations.

### 3. legal penalty

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

a fine or penalty for not doing a professional duty correctly.

For teachers: a penalty imposed by a court on a fiduciary for failing to exercise proper care or skill in their duties.

- The trustee faced a heavy surcharge for losing the client's money.
- The court ordered a surcharge against the executor after finding evidence of gross negligence in the management of the estate's assets.

### 4. to add a fee

verb · CEFR B2

to charge someone an extra amount of money.

For teachers: to impose an additional fee or tax on a transaction or account.

- The hotel will surcharge you if you use the mini-bar in your room.
- The credit card company decided to surcharge all international transactions to cover the rising costs of currency exchange.

### 5. to overload

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

to put too much weight or work on something.

For teachers: to overburden or overload a person, animal, or system.

- The old bridge was surcharged with the weight of the heavy trucks.
- The poet described a heart surcharged with grief, unable to bear the weight of such profound loss.

## Examples

- The airline added a fuel surcharge to the ticket price.
- Many restaurants now include a small surcharge for customers who choose to pay with a credit card instead of cash.
- To mitigate the impact of rising energy costs, the shipping company implemented a variable surcharge that fluctuates according to the monthly global price of crude oil.

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