tariffs

tariffs — noun

IPA/ˈtær.ɪf/
KK[tˈɛrəfs]IPA/ˈter.ɪf/
  • tariffssingular
  • tariffsesplural

1. a tax that a government charges on goods that are brought into the country from

1.nounB2
Definition

a tax that a government charges on goods that are brought into the country from another country

Example

The government raised tariffs on Chinese steel to protect local factories.

tariff on + product

Irish farmers complained that new tariffs made it harder to sell beef abroad.

Common collocations
  • impose tariffs
  • raise tariffs
  • lower tariffs
  • remove tariffs
  • tariff on steel
  • protective tariffs
  • trade tariffs
Synonyms
  • duty

    more formal term for a tax on imports, often used in official contexts

  • levy

    broader term for any imposed tax or charge

  • customs duty

    tax paid at a border on imported goods

Antonyms
  • subsidy

    government payment that supports domestic industries, the opposite of taxing imports

Grammar Patterns

tariff on + goods/product

Usage Note

Usually used in the plural (tariffs) when referring to a system of import taxes rather than a single tax rate.

Common Mistakes

The government increased the tax on imported cars.
The government increased the tariff on imported cars.
'Tariff' specifically refers to a tax on cross-border goods; 'tax' is a broader term for any government levy.

2. a list of fixed prices that a business, such as a hotel, a phone company, or a u

2.nounB2
Definition

a list of fixed prices that a business, such as a hotel, a phone company, or a utility supplier, charges for its services

Example

The hotel's tariff for a standard room includes breakfast and free internet access.

tariff for + service; hotel context

Gas and electricity suppliers must publish their tariffs clearly on their websites.

Common collocations
  • hotel tariff
  • electricity tariff
  • phone tariff
  • publish tariffs
  • compare tariffs
  • choose a tariff
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

tariff for + service

Usage Note

This sense is more common in British English; in American English 'rate' or 'price list' is used instead.

Common Mistakes

The restaurant's tariff had very high prices.
The restaurant's menu had very high prices.
'Tariff' for price lists is used for utilities, hotels, and phone services, not for everyday dining.

3. the fixed minimum amount of punishment set by law for a particular crime, especi

3.nounC1
Definition

the fixed minimum amount of punishment set by law for a particular crime, especially the number of years a person must spend in prison

Example

The judge imposed the maximum tariff of fifteen years for the fraud case.

tariff for + crime; legal context

Under the new law, the tariff for armed robbery was extended to life imprisonment.

Common collocations
  • set a tariff
  • impose a tariff
  • tariff for murder
  • minimum tariff
  • full-life tariff
Synonyms
  • sentence

    general term for punishment given by a court

  • mandatory minimum

    US equivalent for a fixed minimum prison term

  • term

    the period of time a prisoner must serve

Grammar Patterns

tariff for + crime

Usage Note

This sense is specific to British law; in American English the equivalent term is 'mandatory minimum sentence' or 'sentencing guideline'.

Common Mistakes

The tariff for stealing a car is three years in prison.' (in American English context)
The mandatory minimum sentence for stealing a car is three years in prison.
'Tariff' for sentencing is British legal terminology.

tariffs — verb

IPA/tˈaɹɪfs/
KK[tˈɛrəfs]IPA/tˈɛrəfs/

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to money collected by a government, but they differ in scope and use. 'Tariff' is the most specific — it describes a tax charged on goods moving across international borders, often used in the context of trade disputes and trade agreements. 'Duty' is a more formal synonym for 'tariff' and commonly appears in shipping documents ('customs duty') and legal texts; it can also refer to taxes on some domestic transactions like stamp duty. 'Tax' is the broadest term, covering any compulsory payment to the government (income tax, sales tax, property tax) — it lacks the cross-border trade meaning that defines 'tariff'. 'Levy' is a general verb or noun for imposing any fee or tax, often suggesting a one-time or emergency collection rather than a standing trade policy. For example: 'The US removed tariffs on Canadian lumber' (trade policy); 'You must pay customs duty on items over $800'; 'Income tax is deducted from your salary'; 'The city levied a fine on late payments.'

tariff ↗duty ↗tax ↗levy ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • impose a tariff
  • raise tariffs
  • lower tariffs
  • remove tariffs
  • lift tariffs
  • place a tariff on
  • be subject to a tariff

Prepositions

  • tariff on ...
  • tariff for ...
  • tariff against ...

Etymology

ArabicItalianFrenchEnglish

The word 'tariff' entered English in the late 1500s from French 'tarif' (list of prices or duties), which came from Italian 'tariffa' (price list, schedule of charges). The Italian term was borrowed from Arabic 'تَعْرِيفَة‎' (taʿrīfa), meaning 'information, notification, or list of charges'. The Arabic root 'ع ر ف' (ʕ-r-f) carries the idea of 'knowing' or 'making known' — a tariff was originally a published list that made prices known to merchants. The modern sense of 'import tax' developed because such lists often included customs duties on foreign goods.

First known use

1694

1694, in the meaning defined above