surcharge

/ˈsɜː(ɹ)t͡ʃɑː(ɹ)d͡ʒ/

//ˈsɜː(ɹ)t͡ʃɑː(ɹ)d͡ʒ// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"surcharge" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“surcharge” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #24,926. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#24,926
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An addition of extra charge on the agreed, stated, or baseline price.

Corpus desk

Index EN-surcharge · surcharge · English

surcharge · rank #24,926 · 14 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #24,926
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH tarot

Nearest frequency peer: tarot (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “surcharge”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “surcharge” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for surcharge
PropertyValue
Headwordsurcharge
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈsɜː(ɹ)t͡ʃɑː(ɹ)d͡ʒ/
Letters9
Frequency rank#24,926
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “surcharge”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).surchargelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “tarot” (#24,927), “TCP” (#24,928), “stumps” (#24,923). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “surcharge” is #24,926. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around surcharge (IPA /ˈsɜː(ɹ)t͡ʃɑː(ɹ)d͡ʒ/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #24,926 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 9 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

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

  1. 1
    An addition of extra charge on the agreed, stated, or baseline price.
  2. 2
    The 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.
  3. 3
    An excessive price charged e.g. to an unsuspecting customer.
  4. 4
    An overprint on a stamp that alters (usually raises) the original nominal value of the stamp; used especially in times of hyperinflation.
  5. 5
    A painting in lighter enamel over a darker one that serves as the ground.
  6. 6
    A charge that has been omitted from an account as payment of a credit to the charged party
  7. 7
    A penalty for failure to exercise common prudence and skill in the performance of a fiduciary's duties.
  8. 8
    An excessive load or burden.
  9. 9
    The putting, by a commoner, of more animals on the common than he is entitled to.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how surcharge appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Our airline tickets cost twenty dollars more than we expected because we had to pay a fuel surcharge.
  2. A Numerous Nobility, cauſet Pouerty, and Inconuenience in a State: For it is a Surcharge of Expence;

Etymology

From Middle French surcharge, from Old French. By surface analysis, sur- + charge. Doublet of supercharge.

This word in other languages

sobrecarga(Español)surcharge(Français)Aufpreis(Deutsch)

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.

srucharge2ssurcharge1sucrharge2surcahrge2surccharge1surchagre2surchareg2surchargge1
Edit distance from "surcharge"

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"?
"surcharge" is spelled S-U-R-C-H-A-R-G-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɜː(ɹ)t͡ʃɑː(ɹ)d͡ʒ/.
What does "surcharge" mean?
As a noun, "surcharge" means: An addition of extra charge on the agreed, stated, or baseline price.
What are common misspellings of "surcharge"?
Common misspellings include "srucharge", "ssurcharge", "sucrharge", "surcahrge", "surccharge". The correct spelling is "surcharge".
How do you pronounce "surcharge"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "surcharge" is /ˈsɜː(ɹ)t͡ʃɑː(ɹ)d͡ʒ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "surcharge"?
From Middle French surcharge, from Old French. By surface analysis, sur- + charge. Doublet of supercharge. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "surcharge", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

throbbing#24,930strenuous#24,920treasured#24,933stockpile#24,918

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

Spielberg14 variantsWarrington14 variantsschematic14 variantsaffliction14 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list