Charged: meaning, definitions and examples

Used when someone has been formally accused of a crime by the police or judiciary process.

• He was charged with burglary last night
• She is being charged with embezzlement

Commonly used in both formal and informal contexts when a person claims that someone else has done something wrong or illegal. Often not yet legally proven.

• She accused him of stealing her wallet
• They accused the company of misleading advertising

Used in legal contexts when a grand jury officially charges someone with a serious crime.

• The grand jury decided to indict the businessman on charges of insider trading
• She was indicted for tax evasion

Used in a legal context when someone is brought before a court to hear the charges against them and enter a plea.

• The suspect was arraigned in court today
• He was arraigned on charges of fraud

Used when referring to the act of asking someone to pay for goods or services.

• The restaurant charged us $50 for dinner.
• He was charged a small fee for the extra luggage.

Commonly used when referring to a written or printed statement of money owed for goods or services. Usually seen in restaurants, utilities, or any service where a detailed list of charges is provided.

• Can you bring us the bill, please?
• I received the water bill yesterday and it was higher than usual.

Mostly used in business contexts where a detailed statement of charges for goods or services provided is sent to a customer. Often formal and includes terms of payment.

• The company sent an invoice for the web design services.
• Please ensure that the invoice is paid within 30 days.

Refers to the amount of money required for a product or service. Used generally to talk about costs or values.

• What's the price of this shirt?
• The price of gasoline keeps increasing.

useful in describing a situation where something is filled with energy or excitement. This can be in physical terms (like a battery) or emotional terms (like a tense atmosphere).

• The room was charged with anticipation.
• The battery is fully charged.

suitable in general discussions about electric power or phenomena.

• Electricity powers our homes.
• You could feel the electricity in the crowd.

versatile for discussing energy, control, influence, or mechanical force.

• The power went out during the storm.
• She has a lot of power in the company.
• The machine needs more power to operate.

best when talking about the flow of electricity or, metaphorically, the flow of something like water or trends.

• The current in the river was very strong.
• Electrical current flows through the wires.