Charge (noun): a price, fee, or duty demanded for a service or good. It can also mean an obligation or responsibility assigned to someone, or the act of rushing forward in attack or defense. In pricing, it denotes the amount billed; in roles, it marks the responsibility someone bears. Context determines sense and nuance (2–4 sentences).
"The store added a small service charge to my bill."
"She took charge of the project and set clear milestones."
"The knight charged toward the enemy lines."
"He faced a new charge of embezzlement in the court."
Charge derives from the Old French chier, which meant to set on fire or to load, and from the Latin carrus meaning cart. In Middle English, charge evolved to refer to an accusation, an obligation, or something that is entrusted or put under one’s care. The noun sense of price or levy emerges from the idea of a burden placed upon someone. By the 15th century, “charge” was used to denote ceremonial or military responsibility, and by later centuries it broadened to include financial contexts (charges, fees) and the act of rushing or attacking (to charge). First known uses appear in legal and economic texts, where “charge” described a sum owed or demanded, and later as a military term describing forward movement. Over time, charge also adopted modern senses like electrical charge, data charge, and criminal charges. Its semantic range expanded with technology and governance, yet core senses retain the underlying notion of burden, obligation, or movement toward a goal.
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Help others use "Charge" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Charge" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Charge" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Charge"
-rge sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Charge is pronounced with a stressed one-syllable form: /tʃɑːrdʒ/ in US and UK accents. The initial consonant cluster is affricate /tʃ/ as in chair, followed by the open back unrounded vowel /ɑː/ (like 'car' in UK English), and ending in the voiced postalveolar approximant /dʒ/ as in 'judge'. The final sound blends quickly, so keep the /r/ light in non-rhotic accents. In many US dialects, you’ll hear a rhotic /r/. For IPA: US /tʃɑɹdʒ/, UK /tʃɑːdʒ/, AU /tʃɑːdʒ/.
Common mistakes: 1) Dropping the final /dʒ/ sound and saying /tʃaːr/ or /tʃas/—keep the /dʒ/ to avoid ambiguity with 'char.' 2) Compressing the vowel to a short /æ/ as in 'cat'—aim for the open back /ɑː/ or a reduced /ɑ/ depending on the accent. 3) Over-rounded lip position or an overemphasized /r/ in non-rhotic accents—let the rhoticity be natural only if your target is rhotic; otherwise keep a neutral /ɹ/ or vanish it.
US: rhotic, /tʃɑɹdʒ/; vowel often longer in American speech before a consonant cluster. UK: non-rhotic tendency in many speakers; /tʃɑːdʒ/ with a clearer long /ɑː/ and less pronounced /r/. Australian: typically non-rhotic; similar to UK with a broad /ɑː/ and reduced /r/ except before vowels. Key differences are rhoticity and vowel quality: US preserves rhotic /ɹ/; UK/AU often drop /r/ in coda positions, and vowel length/color shifts matter.
The difficulty centers on the blend of /tʃ/ + /ɑː/ + /dʒ/. The /tʃ/ must be released clearly without a voiceless pause, followed by an open back vowel that can vary in length by accent, then a rapid /dʒ/. For non-native speakers, coarticulation with adjacent sounds (especially /r/ or vowel length) makes the transition tricky. Practicing with minimal pairs and slow articulation helps stabilize the sequence.
Charge is a single stressed syllable word. The primary feature to notice is the strong nucleus in /ɑː/ (or /ɑ/ depending on accent) with the sonorant /dʒ/ ending. Stress remains on the only syllable, so ensure the vowel is prominent and the final /dʒ/ is crisp. In connected speech, the preceding consonant may link or reduce, but the nucleus stays central.
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