Noun / Verb B1/B2 — Intermediate /tʃɑːdʒ/

Charge — Definition, Examples & Pronunciation

A high-frequency word with many meanings: price, responsibility, accusation, electricity, and more.

Quick Definition

Charge (noun): the price asked for a service; a responsibility or duty; a formal accusation in law; an amount of electrical energy stored in something.

Charge (verb): to ask someone to pay a price; to rush forward with force; to fill a battery or device with electrical energy; to formally accuse someone of a crime.

What Does Charge Mean?

Charge is one of the most versatile words in English. It entered the language in the 13th century from Old French chargier (to load, to burden), which came from Late Latin carricare — to load a cart. The root carrus (a type of wagon) also gives us cargo and carry. Over the centuries the word accumulated new senses: the financial meaning (a fee or price) appeared in the 14th century, the legal meaning (a formal accusation) in the 15th, the military meaning (a rushing attack) in the 16th, and the electrical meaning in the 18th century when scientists began studying electricity.

Today charge appears across many areas of everyday English: shopping ("is there an extra charge?"), work ("who is in charge of this project?"), law ("he was charged with fraud"), technology ("my phone needs charging"), and action ("the bull charged towards us"). Because the word has so many distinct senses, learners must rely on context to understand which meaning is intended.

The most important collocation for ESL learners is in charge of — meaning to have responsibility for something — because it is extremely common in professional and academic English and is frequently confused with other prepositions.

Example Sentences

SentenceLevel & usage note
She is in charge of planning the English language club activities. A2 — key collocation in charge of
The hotel charges £15 per night for parking. B1 — verb: to ask for payment
He was charged with theft after the police found the stolen goods. B1 — legal sense: formal accusation
There is no additional charge for the service; it is included in the price. B2 — noun: a fee; formal register
The government faced charges of corruption following the leaked documents. C1 — plural noun; political/journalistic register

Collocations

CollocationMeaning & example
in charge ofresponsible for — She is in charge of the sales team.
free of chargeat no cost — Delivery is free of charge on orders over £50.
take chargeassume control — He took charge of the situation immediately.
extra chargean additional fee — Is there an extra charge for a single room?
service chargefee for a service — A 12.5% service charge was added to the bill.
press chargesofficially accuse someone — She decided to press charges against her attacker.
drop chargeswithdraw a legal accusation — The prosecutor agreed to drop the charges.
charge withformally accuse of a crime — He was charged with fraud.
charge forask payment for something — They charge £20 for a one-hour lesson.
charge upfill with electricity — I need to charge up my phone before we leave.

Usage Notes

Key patterns to remember

  • in charge of (not "in charge for" or "in charge about"): She is in charge of the department.
  • charge someone for something (payment): They charged us £5 for the guidebook.
  • charge someone with something (legal): He was charged with assault.
  • free of charge (not "free of charges"): The repairs were carried out free of charge.
  • In British English, charge as a noun for a price is slightly more formal than fee or cost. It often appears in written notices, bills, and official communications.
  • The electrical meaning is always used with charge up or simply charge (never "recharge up"): I need to charge my laptop.

Common Mistakes

Watch Out For

She is in charge for the project.

She is in charge of the project. (always use of after in charge)

They charged him of stealing the money.

They charged him with stealing the money. (legal accusation uses charge with)

The service was free of charges.

The service was free of charge. (the fixed phrase uses the singular uncountable form)

Can I take a charge of this meeting?

Can I take charge of this meeting? (no article in the idiom take charge)

Related Words

overcharge undercharge discharge surcharge recharge chargeable charger accuse fee cost responsibility accusation

Synonyms

fee (noun) price (noun) levy (noun) accusation (noun) responsibility (noun) bill (verb) accuse (verb) rush (verb)

Practise This Word

Flash Cards Complete the Sentence Vocabulary Quiz Hangman

Frequently Asked Questions about “charge”

What does charge mean in English?
Charge has several meanings depending on context. As a noun it can mean the price asked for a service ('no extra charge'), a responsibility ('she is in charge of the project'), or a formal accusation ('a charge of theft'). As a verb it means to ask for payment ('they charged £50'), to rush forward ('the soldiers charged'), or to fill with electricity ('charge your phone').
What is the difference between charge and cost?
Both words relate to money, but charge usually refers to a specific fee set by a person or business, while cost refers to the total amount required to buy or do something. You pay a charge (e.g. a service charge), but you count the cost of a project. Charge can also be a verb ('they charged me £20'), whereas cost is rarely used as an active verb in the same way.
What does 'in charge of' mean?
'In charge of' means having responsibility for something or someone. For example: 'She is in charge of the marketing team.' It is one of the most important collocations with charge and is very common in professional and academic English. Do not confuse it with 'in charge for' — the correct preposition is always 'of'.
How do you use charge as a verb?
As a verb, charge is followed by different structures depending on the meaning. For payment: 'They charged us £30 for the meal.' For rushing: 'The team charged onto the pitch.' For electricity: 'I need to charge my laptop.' You can also say 'charge someone with a crime' when making a formal accusation: 'He was charged with fraud.'
What is the plural of charge?
The plural is charges. It is regularly used in its plural form: 'The hotel added several extra charges to the bill.' In a legal context, charges refers to multiple formal accusations: 'He faces three charges of fraud.' When referring to electrical energy or responsibility, charge is typically uncountable and has no plural.
What is a service charge?
A service charge is an additional fee added to a bill in a restaurant, hotel, or bank to pay for the service provided. In British English, restaurants often add a 12.5% service charge. It is distinct from a tip, which you give voluntarily directly to the staff. Understanding service charge is especially useful for everyday life and business English contexts.
What is the difference between charge and accuse?
Charge is a formal legal term used when authorities officially bring a criminal allegation: 'He was charged with assault.' Accuse is more general and can be used informally: 'She accused him of lying.' You can accuse someone without any legal process, but charge always implies an official proceeding. The prepositions also differ: charge with, but accuse of.
What is the origin of the word charge?
Charge entered English in the 13th century from Old French 'chargier' (to load, burden), derived from Late Latin 'carricare' (to load a cart). The root 'carrus' (wagon) also gives us cargo and carry. The sense of financial payment developed in the 14th century, the electrical sense in the 18th century, and the legal sense of accusation in the 15th century.
Is charge a regular or irregular verb?
Charge is a regular verb. Its forms are: charge (base), charges (third person singular present), charged (past simple and past participle), charging (present participle). Example: 'They charged us yesterday. They are charging too much. We have been charged incorrectly.'
How can I practise the word charge in English?
LexFizz's Flash Cards tool lets you practise charge and its many meanings in context. The Complete the Sentence exercise is ideal for testing whether you know the correct preposition and verb form. Because charge is a high-frequency multi-sense word, you will also encounter it regularly in newspaper articles, business emails, and legal texts.