charged; charging
1
a(1)
: to fix or ask as fee or payment
charges $50 for an office visit
(2)
: to ask payment of (a person)
charge a client for expenses
b
: to record (an item) as an expense, debt, obligation, or liability
charged a new sofa
c(1)
: to impose a financial burden on
charge his estate with debts incurred
(2)
: to impose or record as financial obligation
charge debts to an estate
2
a(1)
: to give an electric charge to
charge a capacitor
(2)
: to restore the active materials in (a storage battery) by the passage of a direct current through in the opposite direction to that of discharge
b(1)
: to place a charge (as of powder) in
(2)
: to load or fill to capacity
c
: to fill or furnish fully
The music is charged with excitement.
d
: electrify sense 2
The crowd was charged by her performance.
e(1)
: to assume as a heraldic bearing (see bearing sense 4)
(2)
: to place a heraldic bearing on
charged his shield with three roses
f
archaic
: to lay or put a load on or in : load
horses charged with heavy burdens
3
4
a
: to make an assertion against especially by ascribing guilt or blame
charges him with armed robbery
They were charged as being instigators.
b
: to place the guilt or blame for
charge her failure to negligence
c
: to assert as an accusation
charges that they distorted the data
5
a
: to impose a task or responsibility on
charge him with the job of finding a new meeting place
b
: to command, instruct, or exhort with authority
I charge you not to go.
c
of a judge
: to give a charge (see charge entry 2 sense 6a) to (a jury)
1
: to rush forward in or as if in assault : attack
came charging into the room
also
: to charge an opponent in sports
2
: to ask or set a price
Do you charge for this service?
3
: to charge an item to an account
charge now, pay later
4
of a battery or battery-powered device
: to gain an electric charge : to receive and store a greater quantity of electrical energy
She left the phone charging overnight.
1
2
a
: a definite quantity of electricity
especially
: an excess or deficiency of electrons in a body
b
: the quantity of explosive used in a single discharge
c
: the quantity that an apparatus is intended to receive and fitted to hold
the charge of chemicals in a fire extinguisher
e
: a store or accumulation of impelling force
the deeply emotional charge of the drama
3
a
: management, supervision
has charge of the home office
see also take charge
b
: a person or thing committed into the care of another
played with her young charges at the day-care center
c
: obligation, requirement
… to maintain this readiness … is … a first charge upon our military effort …—
Sir Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Churchill
d
: the ecclesiastical jurisdiction (such as a parish) committed to a clergyman
4
a
: a formal assertion of illegality
a charge of murder
b
: a statement of complaint or hostile criticism
denied the charges of nepotism that were leveled against him
5
a(1)
: a violent rush forward (as to attack)
the charge of the brigade
(2)
: the signal for attack
sound the charge
b
: a usually illegal rush into an opponent in various sports (such as basketball)
6
a
: instruction, command
… he gave them charge about the Queen, To guard and foster her forevermore.—Alfred Tennyson
Alfred Tennyson
b
: instruction in points of law given by a court to a jury
7
a
: a figure borne on a heraldic field
b
obsolete
: a material load or weight
Synonyms
Examples of charge in a Sentence
Verb
We tried to charge the car's battery.
The government charged that he had not paid taxes for five years.
It is not clear if he violated the rules, as his critics have charged.
The basketball player was charged with a foul.
Noun
He set off a charge that destroyed the mountain.
He has charge of the building.
There is no charge for fixing the tire.
a delivery charge for the refrigerator
an admission charge at the fair
Recent Examples on the Web
Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 25 Dec. 2024
Daniel Rodriguez, 18, of Azusa was taken into custody Saturday and subsequently charged with one count of murder.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 25 Dec. 2024
Liza Esquibias, People.com, 14 Dec. 2024
Mangione, 26, is being held in Pennsylvania and has been charged with Thompson's murder, multiple weapons counts and other charges.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for charge 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
Gu was charged with the murder and Devillers was a cooperating witness at the trial.
—Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 25 Dec. 2024
Daniel Rodriguez, 18, of Azusa was taken into custody Saturday and subsequently charged with one count of murder.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 25 Dec. 2024
Noun
Formal charges are pending review by the Burbank City Attorney’s office.
—Liza Esquibias, People.com, 14 Dec. 2024
Mangione, 26, is being held in Pennsylvania and has been charged with Thompson's murder, multiple weapons counts and other charges.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for charge
Dictionary Entries Near charge
Cite this Entry
“Charge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/charge. Accessed 28 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
charge
1 of 2 noun1
a
: the amount (as of ammunition or fuel) needed to load or fill something
b
: a quantity of electricity
an electric charge
2
a
: a task, duty, or order given to a person : obligation
b
: the work or duty of managing
has charge of the building
c
: a person or thing given to another person to look after
3
: an instruction, command, or explanation based on authority
a judge's charge to the jury
4
a
: the price demanded especially for a service
b
: an amount listed as a debt on an account
5
: a claim of wrongdoing : accusation
a charge of burglary
6
a
: a rush to attack an enemy : assault
the charge of the army
b
: the signal for attack
sound the charge
c
: a usually illegal rush into an opponent in various sports (as basketball)
charge
2 of 2 verb
charged; charging
1
b
: to give an electric charge to
c
: to restore the active materials in a storage battery by the passage of a direct current through in the opposite direction to that of the flowing out of electricity from the battery
d
: to gain an electric charge : to receive and store a greater amount of electrical energy
left the phone charging
2
a
: to give a task or responsibility to
charge him with the job
b
: to give an order by right of authority to
I charge you not to go
3
: to accuse formally
charged with theft
4
: to rush against
also
: to rush into (an opponent) usually illegally in sports
5
a
: to enter as a debt or responsibility on a record
charged the purchase to my account
b
: to ask or set as a price
charged $100 for repairs
chargeable
adjective
ˈchär-jə-bəl
Medical Definition
charge
2 of 2 noun1
: a plaster or ointment used on a domestic animal
2
: a definite quantity of electricity
especially
: an excess or deficiency of electrons in a body
3
Legal Definition
charge
1 of 2 noun1
a
: something required : obligation
b
: personal management or supervision
put the child in his charge
c
: a person or thing placed under the care of another
2
: an authoritative instruction or command
especially
: instruction in points of law given by a judge to a jury
conviction…reversed, because of trial court's charge —W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.
W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr. 3
a
: an incurred expense
b
: the price demanded for something (as admission or use)
a finance charge
c
: a debit to an account
especially
: a debit resulting from unexpected operating expenses
a charge against earnings
4
: a formal allegation of an offense or wrongdoing
based on a charge that was dismissed—National Law Journal
see also complaint, indictment, information
National Law Journalcharge
2 of 2 transitive verb
charged; charging
1
a
: to impose a task or responsibility on
was charged with protecting civil rights
b
: to command or instruct with authority
especially
: to give a charge to (a jury)
the jury should have been charged on common-law negligence —National Law Journal
National Law Journal 2
3
a
: to impose a financial liability on
charge the estate
b
: to impose or record as a financial burden or liability
charge the debts to the estate
charging the loss against earnings
4
a
: to fix or ask as a fee or payment
charge $4 for parking
b
: to ask payment of (an individual or organization)
charge a client for expenses
chargeable
adjective
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