surtax

noun

sur·​tax ˈsər-ˌtaks How to pronounce surtax (audio)
Synonyms of surtaxnext
1
: an extra tax or charge
2
: a graduated income tax in addition to the normal income tax imposed on the amount by which one's net income exceeds a specified sum

Examples of surtax in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Elliott hits Lamonts on several counts, but the main one is the governor’s resistance to follow Massachusetts and adopt a 4% surtax on annual incomes exceeding $1 million or so. — Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2026 Income thresholds trigger deduction phase-outs, surtaxes and additional Medicare taxes, while retirement and investment decisions become increasingly important. — D. Scott Kenik, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 While Massachusetts voters backed a 4% surtax on annual personal income exceeding $1 million in 2022, that’s much more manageable, Gupta said. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 28 May 2026 Massachusetts passed a surtax on income over $1 million in 2022, and Washington State and Rhode Island plan to tax income over $1 million. — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for surtax

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of surtax was in 1881

Rhymes for surtax

See All Rhymes for surtax

Browse Nearby Words

sursum corda
surtax
Surtees
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Surtax.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surtax. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

surtax

noun
sur·​tax ˈsər-ˌtaks How to pronounce surtax (audio)
: an additional tax over and above a general tax

Legal Definition

surtax

noun
sur·​tax ˈsər-ˌtaks How to pronounce surtax (audio)
: an additional tax over and above a normal tax

More from Merriam-Webster on surtax

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for surtax

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of salvo

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

'Gaslighting,' 'Woke,' 'Democracy,' and Other Top Lookups
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All