tariff
Americannoun
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an official list or table showing the duties or customs imposed by a government on imports or exports.
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the schedule or system of duties so imposed.
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any duty or rate of duty in such a list or schedule.
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any table of charges, as of a railroad, bus line, etc.
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bill; cost; charge.
verb (used with object)
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to subject to a tariff.
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to put a valuation on according to a tariff.
noun
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a tax levied by a government on imports or occasionally exports for purposes of protection, support of the balance of payments, or the raising of revenue
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a system or list of such taxes
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any schedule of prices, fees, fares, etc
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a method of charging for the supply of services, esp public services, such as gas and electricity
block tariff
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a schedule of such charges
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a bill of fare with prices listed; menu
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the level of punishment imposed for a criminal offence
verb
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to set a tariff on
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to set a price on according to a schedule of tariffs
Usage
What does tariff mean? A tariff is a tax or duty on products that come into a country (imports) or leave it (exports), imposed by the country’s government. A tariff is also the list of taxes a government imposes on imports and exports. To tariff can mean to subject to a tariff. Example: There is a high tariff on foreign music CDs, so I just stream it instead.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has tariffedperfect 3rd person singular
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have tariffedperfect
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tariffssingular 3rd person
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is tariffingprogressive 3rd person singular
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are tariffingprogressive
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has been tariffingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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tariffingparticiple
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am tariffingprogressive 1st person singular
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have been tariffingperfect progressive
Past
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had tariffedperfect
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were tariffingprogressive plural
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was tariffingprogressive singular
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had been tariffingperfect progressive
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tariffedparticiple
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tariffedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of tariff
First recorded in 1585–95; earlier tariffa, from Italian, from Arabic taʿrīfah, derivative of ʿarrafa “to make known,” akin to ʿarafa “to know”
Explanation
A tariff is a kind of tax on goods a country imports or exports. If you want to buy a European-made car in the U.S., the price will include tariffs the government adds to the price of imported vehicles. Usually a government imposes a tariff to encourage its own industries and to discourage buying cheaper imports from other countries. If a government wants to protect its own clothing industry, it may add a tariff to imported clothing, to make sure that the imported clothes aren't cheaper than the locally manufactured items. You can control exports, too, by imposing tariffs. As a verb, you can say "the government tariffs certain imports and exports."
Vocabulary lists containing tariff
American History I
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The American Revolution - Introductory
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The United States
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“There is no connection between Reliance’s investment in AFR and any unique measures associated with general U.S. trade, tariff, sanctions or licensing outcomes,” Reliance said.
From Salon • Jun. 11, 2026
Still, the resurgence of the parasite, which was eradicated in the U.S. in the 1960s, comes at a time when the cattle industry is already facing drought, tariff battles and other challenges.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026
He also announced possible tariff hikes on Brazilian products, much to the displeasure of the Lula administration.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
Renewed tariff proposals floated by the Trump administration have added to pressure on regional foreign-exchange markets.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
The tariff controversy was settled, but it hinted at a greater problem.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
