charge 1 of 2

noun

Definition of chargenext
1
as in indictment
a formal claim of criminal wrongdoing against a person charges of burglary and armed robbery that have yet to be proved

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in mission
a specific task with which a person or group is charged your charge is to keep everyone else organized and busy

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3
as in instruction
a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned we've received an official charge about how to handle the situation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in responsibility
something one must do because of prior agreement the first charge of our armed forces is to defend this country against enemy attack

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5
as in attack
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence the famously disastrous charge led by General George Pickett at Gettysburg

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in cost
the amount of money that is demanded as payment for something the charge for the book will be five dollars

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7
as in stewardship
the duty or function of watching or guarding for the sake of proper direction or control was given charge of the business during the owner's absence

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8
as in expense
a payment made in the course of achieving a result the charges mounted at a dizzying pace as the building project went way over budget

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9
as in thrill
a pleasurably intense stimulation of the feelings the slopes at this resort aren't particularly challenging and aren't likely to give expert skiers much of a charge

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10
as in management
the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something he inherited charge of the Paris bureau after his supervisor quit

Synonyms & Similar Words

charge

2 of 2

verb

ˈchärj How to pronounce charge (audio)
1
as in to ask
to set or receive as a price any shop would charge $100 to repair that thing

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2
as in to impose
to establish or apply as a charge or penalty charges a restocking fee for returned merchandise

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to task
to give a task, duty, or responsibility to we're charging you with the care of your little sister while we're gone for the evening

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4
as in to order
to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority charged the soldier to keep watch over the prisoner

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to accuse
to make a claim of wrongdoing against he has not yet been charged with any crime

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to fill
to put into (something) as much as can be held or contained charge a blast furnace with iron ore

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7
as in to assault
to take sudden, violent action against plans to charge the enemy's fortification at daybreak

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8
as in to thrill
to cause a pleasurable stimulation of the feelings of the players are going into this game still charged from their upset victory the week before

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb charge contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of charge are bid, command, direct, enjoin, instruct, and order. While all these words mean "to issue orders," charge adds to enjoin an implication of imposing as a duty or responsibility.

charged by the President with a secret mission

When is bid a more appropriate choice than charge?

While in some cases nearly identical to charge, bid suggests giving orders peremptorily (as to children or servants).

she bade him be seated

How are the words command and order related as synonyms of charge?

Both command and order imply authority and usually some degree of formality and impersonality; command stresses official exercise of authority.

a general commanding troops

How do direct and instruct relate to one another, in the sense of charge?

Direct and instruct both connote expectation of obedience and usually concern specific points of procedure or method, instruct sometimes implying greater explicitness or formality.

directed her assistant to hold all calls
the judge instructed the jury to ignore the remark

When would enjoin be a good substitute for charge?

The meanings of enjoin and charge largely overlap; however, enjoin implies giving an order or direction authoritatively and urgently and often with admonition or solicitude.

a sign enjoining patrons to be quiet

In what contexts can order take the place of charge?

The synonyms order and charge are sometimes interchangeable, but order may suggest peremptory or arbitrary exercise.

ordered his employees about like slaves

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of charge
Noun
At the same hearing, a fifth defendant, Subhan Ahmed, 18, pleaded not guilty to a charge of assisting an offender. — Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 Ahmed, who was living in Dubai when the charges came down and was arrested last year in Serbia, was brought back to Chicago this week after dropping his extradition fight. — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
The event also featured post-fight drama when Usman Nurmagomedov controversially charged the Octagon, appearing to aim an elbow at Song during his celebration. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Keeping with its normal fall-season practice, Bishop’s is not charging admission costs for the Watermelon Festival. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for charge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for charge
  1. indictment
  2. mission
  3. instruction
  4. responsibility
  5. attack
  6. cost
  7. stewardship
  8. expense
Noun
  • The move renders the original indictment that had been the subject of grand jury issues legally obsolete — though the judge could still opt to dig into any alleged wrongdoing.
    — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Most of the fifteen people named in the June 16th indictment have been released and are awaiting trial.
    — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of indictment
Noun
  • Over the course of its five-year mission, the Roman telescope will capture images of the Milky Way, survey the entire sky and observe supernova explosions that occurred as far as 8 billion years ago.
    — Josh Feldman, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The Boxer can support amphibious operations and aviation missions from its expansive flight deck.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of mission
Noun
  • Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have uncovered a new processor attack that can bypass defenses in Intel and AMD chips by exploiting a security gap lasting only a handful of instructions.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
  • John’s hacking skills prove useful, as does the T-800’s extensive firepower—although per John’s instructions, there are zero human fatalities.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of instruction
Noun
  • Handle one visible fix, share one responsibility, or set up tomorrow’s essentials.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Aug. 2026
  • For smaller practices, the development of digital outreach often takes place alongside patient care and routine administrative responsibilities.
    — Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of responsibility
Noun
  • Detectives charged him with murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon for the vicious attack that killed his mother, 57-year-old Josefa Soto de Guzman, on Friday.
    — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Just like Ejva, who suddenly needs to learn how to protect the herd and make her family proud, even when a violent attack leaves her struggling.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • Theoretically, Newcastle had decent capacity to bring in a forward from both a Premier League squad cost ratio (SCR) and a UEFA financial rules perspective.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Behrouz Mehri | Afp | Getty Images France's deteriorating public finances and political deadlock are becoming a growing concern for bond investors, with borrowing costs near financial-crisis-era highs as another difficult budget battle looms.
    — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of cost
Noun
  • But a group of local Jewish organizations object to his stewardship of a key cultural venue in the city.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Since Jerry Buss built the Lakers into the NBA’s most glamorous franchise during four decades of stewardship, the team will now have a third controlling owner in as many years.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of stewardship
Noun
  • Others argued the city cannot afford massive new spending on police, its greatest expense, and must make the department more efficient.
    — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The Family Dollar employee suffered damages, including losses in compensation and benefits, medical expenses, and anxiety and emotional distress, according to the EEOC.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of expense

Phrases Containing charge

Browse Nearby Words

chares
charge
chargeable
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Cite this Entry

“Charge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/charge. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on charge

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about charge

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