A surcharge is an extra payment of money in addition to the usual payment for something. It is added for a specific reason, for example by a company because costs have risen or by a government as a tax.
The government introduced a 15% surcharge on imports.
The prices of overseas holidays are subject to surcharges.
surcharge in British English
noun (ˈsɜːˌtʃɑːdʒ)
1.
a charge in addition to the usual payment, tax, etc
2.
an excessive sum charged, esp when unlawful
3.
an extra and usually excessive burden or supply
4. law
the act or an instance of surcharging
5.
an overprint that alters the face value of a postage stamp
Also (obsolete): surchargement
verb (sɜːˈtʃɑːdʒ, ˈsɜːˌtʃɑːdʒ)(transitive)
6.
to charge an additional sum, tax, etc
7.
to overcharge (a person) for something
8.
to put an extra physical burden upon; overload
9.
to fill to excess; overwhelm
10. law
to insert credits that have been omitted in (an account)
11.
to overprint a surcharge on (a stamp)
Derived forms
surcharger (surˈcharger)
noun
surcharge in American English
(ˈsɜrˌtʃɑrdʒ; also, for v., sərˈtʃɑrdʒ)
verb transitiveWord forms: surˈcharged or surˈcharging
1.
to overcharge
2.
to overload; overburden
3.
to fill to excess or beyond normal capacity
4.
to mark (a postage stamp) with a surcharge
5. Law
to show an omission, as of a credit, in (an account)
noun
6.
a.
an additional amount added to the usual charge
b.
an overcharge
7.
an extra or excessive load, burden, etc.
8.
a new valuation overprinted on a postage stamp, etc., to change its denomination
9. Law
the act of surcharging
Word origin
ME surchargen < OFr surcharger: see sur-1 & charge
Examples of 'surcharge' in a sentence
surcharge
The stamp duty surcharge also meant buyers tried to close deals quickly.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Airline passengers also face fuel surcharges and higher landing fees.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
This five per cent surcharge also applies if you pay monthly.
The Sun (2014)
He must also pay 160 costs and victim surcharge.
The Sun (2015)
Credit card payments incur a 2.5% surcharge.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Others pointed to the likely waning of buy-to-let investors now that the stamp duty surcharge has taken effect.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The three per cent stamp duty surcharge on second homes does not apply to homes costing less than 40,000.
The Sun (2016)
These will be hit worst by the hefty 8 per cent surcharge on corporation tax imposed in the budget.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
They have a right to understand the charges they may incur upfront, and not be hit through a hidden lastminute payment surcharge.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Such property was the most popular option of landlords in the months leading up to the stamp duty surcharge, pushing up prices further.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Buy-to-let investors face a 3 per cent surcharge on stamp duty from April.
The Sun (2016)
It is also the first set of results where the Government's eight per cent surcharge on profit kicks in.
The Sun (2016)
If you sell your main residence and buy another, you will not be liable for the 3% surcharge.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The slow crawl followed a significant increase in lending a month earlier, when landlords rushed to buy homes before an extra stamp duty surcharge came into effect.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The other issue affecting sentiment is the stamp duty surcharge: remember that investors and second-home owners account for one in five sales.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Property transactions had jumped 75 per cent in March as buyers rushed to beat the extra stamp duty surcharge and then plummeted the following month.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In other languages
surcharge
British English: surcharge /ˈsɜːˌtʃɑːdʒ/ NOUN
A surcharge is an extra payment of money in addition to the usual payment for something. It is added for a specific reason, for example by a company because costs have risen or by a government as a tax.
The government introduced a 15% surcharge on imports.