noun
tariff
TA-rihf
noun
1
A tax charged by a government on goods coming into or leaving a country.
"The government raised tariffs on imported steel."
"New tariffs made foreign cars more expensive to buy."
2
A published list of prices, fees, or rates.
"Check the hotel's tariff before booking a room."
"The electricity company offers several different tariffs."
verb
1
To impose a tax or duty on goods.
"The country tariffed imported electronics to protect local manufacturers."
How to Use Tariff
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA tax on imports/exports, or more generally a published price list (like an energy tariff).
UK vs US
In the UK, "tariff" is commonly used for household energy price plans; in the US it's used almost exclusively for trade duties.
Common pairings
impose a tariff
trade tariff
energy tariff
Word Forms
tariffed past tense, tariffs plural, tariffs singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “tariff”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The government raised _____ on imported steel.
Etymology
From Italian tariffa, meaning a list of customs duties, ultimately from an Arabic word meaning notification or explanation.