surcharge
/ˈsɜː(ɹ)t͡ʃɑː(ɹ)d͡ʒ/
"surcharge" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“surcharge” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #24,926 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #24,926
- frequency rank, English
- 9
- letters
- 14
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An addition of extra charge on the agreed, stated, or baseline price.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | surcharge |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈsɜː(ɹ)t͡ʃɑː(ɹ)d͡ʒ/ |
| Letters | 9 |
| Frequency rank | #24,926 |
| Misspellings tracked | 14 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “surcharge” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for surcharge is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsɜː(ɹ)t͡ʃɑː(ɹ)d͡ʒ/. Corpus data places it at rank #24,926 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for surcharge, with forms such as "srucharge", "ssurcharge", and "sucrharge". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French surcharge, from Old French. By surface analysis, sur- + charge. Doublet of supercharge. The correct English form is surcharge, spelled S-U-R-C-H-A-R-G-E.
Definition
- 1An addition of extra charge on the agreed, stated, or baseline price.
- 2The part of the price of a subsidized good or service that is not covered by the subsidy and so must be paid by the consumer.
- 3An excessive price charged e.g. to an unsuspecting customer.
- 4An overprint on a stamp that alters (usually raises) the original nominal value of the stamp; used especially in times of hyperinflation.
- 5A painting in lighter enamel over a darker one that serves as the ground.
- 6A charge that has been omitted from an account as payment of a credit to the charged party
- 7A penalty for failure to exercise common prudence and skill in the performance of a fiduciary's duties.
- 8An excessive load or burden.
- 9The putting, by a commoner, of more animals on the common than he is entitled to.
Etymology
From Middle French surcharge, from Old French. By surface analysis, sur- + charge. Doublet of supercharge.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: srucharge,ssurcharge,sucrharge,surcahrge,surccharge,surchagre,surchareg,surchargge,surcharrge,surchharge,surchrage,surhcarge,surrcharge,usrcharge
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of surcharge - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "surcharge"?
What does "surcharge" mean?
What are common misspellings of "surcharge"?
How do you pronounce "surcharge"?
What is the origin of the word "surcharge"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “surcharge”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is S-U-R-C-H-A-R-G-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈsɜː(ɹ)t͡ʃɑː(ɹ)d͡ʒ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.