What does "tax" mean?

1. (government levy) money that you must pay to the government based on your income, property, or the things you buy. 2. (a burden) something that is very difficult and takes a lot of your energy or time. 3. (to collect money) to require a person or business to pay a certain amount of money to the government. 4. (to strain) to use a lot of someone's physical or mental strength.

How do you use "tax"?

Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the system, but countable when referring to a specific type of charge. The verb is transitive and requires a direct object, such as the person or the item being taxed.

tax — meaning, definition & examples

Word

01government levy

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun

n. money that you must pay to the government based on your income, property, or the things you buy.

n. a compulsory contribution to state revenue, levied by the government on workers' income and business profits, or added to the cost of some goods, services, and transactions.

“The government decided to increase the tax on cigarettes to discourage smoking.”

“Economists argue that a progressive income tax system is essential for reducing wealth inequality within the national borders.”

Usage

Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the system, but countable when referring to a specific type of charge.

Synonyms

levy duty tariff

Antonyms

subsidy rebate

02a burden

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Literary

n. something that is very difficult and takes a lot of your energy or time.

n. a burdensome or excessive demand on one's resources, strength, or patience.

“The long commute was a heavy tax on his health and happiness.”

“The constant need for secrecy placed a significant tax on the diplomat's mental well-being over the course of the negotiations.”

Synonyms

strain drain burden

Antonyms

boon benefit

03to collect money

B1 · Intermediate

v. to require a person or business to pay a certain amount of money to the government.

v. to impose a financial charge on a person, entity, or transaction for the purpose of generating public revenue.

“The city taxes local businesses to pay for the new park and library.”

“The state legislature debated whether to tax digital services at the same rate as physical goods sold in retail stores.”

Usage

The verb is transitive and requires a direct object, such as the person or the item being taxed.

Synonyms

levy charge

Antonyms

exempt

04to strain

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to use a lot of someone's physical or mental strength.

v. to make heavy demands on a person's abilities, endurance, or resources.

“The difficult math exam really taxed my brain.”

“Climbing the steep mountain trail in the midday heat taxed the hikers' endurance to the limit.”

Synonyms

strain exhaust drain

Antonyms

refresh ease

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “tax” in context.

Verb

01. avoid paying tax

“Large companies often find legal ways to avoid paying tax in certain countries.”

verb + noun

02. increase tax on fuel

“The government decided to increase tax on fuel to encourage people to use public transport.”

verb + noun + prep + noun

03. pay tax

“Most workers pay tax directly from their monthly salary.”

verb + noun

Adjective

04. income tax

“You need to calculate your total earnings before you can figure out your income tax.”

adj + noun

05. high tax

“Citizens in that country pay a high tax, but they receive excellent healthcare for free.”

adj + noun

Noun

06. tax cut

“The new law promised a tax cut for small business owners to help the economy grow.”

noun + noun

07. tax return

“I need to finish my tax return before the deadline at the end of April.”

noun + noun

Preposition

08. after tax

“Her take-home pay after tax is about two thousand pounds a month.”

prep + noun

09. tax credit

10. tax credits

11. tax revenues

“The new tax is expected to generate $500 million annually for the city, America's largest.”

Reuters 29 Sept 2026

“Danish offshore wind farm developer Orsted said on Friday that an advisory commission ruled its two British wind farms should be taxed primarily in Britain, supporting the company's position in a dispute between Danish and UK tax authorities.”

Reuters 24 Sept 2026

“The Russian government projected a budget deficit equal to around 2% of the gross domestic product for the next three years and proposed an array of tax hikes to sustain the military expenditure, Finance Ministry materials showed on Thursday.”

Reuters 23 Sept 2026

“The government also collects taxes on imported goods and on the sale of things like gasoline, alcohol and other goods.”

Reuters 21 Sept 2026

From Middle English taxe, from Middle French taxe, from Medieval Latin taxa, from Latin taxō (“to appraise, value, estimate; (medieval) to tax”). Doublet of task. Displaced native Old English gafol, which was also the word for “tribute” and “rent”.