Synonym Chooser

How is the word exorbitant different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of exorbitant are excessive, extravagant, extreme, immoderate, and inordinate. While all these words mean "going beyond a normal limit," exorbitant implies a departure from accepted standards regarding amount or degree.

exorbitant prices

When might excessive be a better fit than exorbitant?

Although the words excessive and exorbitant have much in common, excessive implies an amount or degree too great to be reasonable or acceptable.

excessive punishment

When would extravagant be a good substitute for exorbitant?

The words extravagant and exorbitant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, extravagant implies an indifference to restraints imposed by truth, prudence, or good taste.

extravagant claims for the product

When could extreme be used to replace exorbitant?

The meanings of extreme and exorbitant largely overlap; however, extreme may imply an approach to the farthest limit possible or conceivable but commonly means only to a notably high degree.

extreme shyness

Where would immoderate be a reasonable alternative to exorbitant?

The words immoderate and exorbitant can be used in similar contexts, but immoderate implies lack of desirable or necessary restraint.

immoderate spending

When can inordinate be used instead of exorbitant?

The synonyms inordinate and exorbitant are sometimes interchangeable, but inordinate implies an exceeding of the limits dictated by reason or good judgment.

inordinate pride

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of exorbitant That won’t stop our trade partners from making these exorbitant numbers real, however, when many inevitably respond with matching tariff hikes in return. Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025 In the past six decades, as tuition at public colleges went from free to costly—and, at private universities, from costly to exorbitant—federal-student-loan amounts grew larger. E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2025 Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul filed a lawsuit on Friday to prevent Musk from handing out the exorbitant payments to voters, though an appellate court denied his request. Solcyré Burga, Time, 31 Mar. 2025 Then there's the matter of legal fees; many simply do not have the money at hand to pay for exorbitant legal fees. Lindsay Kohler, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exorbitant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exorbitant
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, excessive rainfall from the weekend storms has led to river and creek flooding in areas south and east of the Kansas City metro.
    Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Listen to this article The Aurora City Council at a meeting Tuesday is set to consider changes to the parking ordinance that police say will help with the excessive number of commercial vehicles being parked on city roads.
    R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • And these are both short and long-term outcomes, like extreme fatigue.
    Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Women are being stripped of their titles and, in the most extreme cases, their rights.
    Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This gorgeous option has distressed floral medallions that look lived-in for vintage charm, all without a steep price point.
    Clara McMahon, People.com, 21 Apr. 2025
  • The requirements for that are steep and include proving either your parent or grandparent was an Irish citizen at the time of your birth.
    Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Here are the four most extravagant moments of Kravitz's Paris home that took our breath away.
    Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The fall/winter 2025 collection, the designer's first outing since his starry and extravagant Hamptons showcase just before New York Fashion Week's September kickoff, was an off-calendar show that packed just as much star power as its predecessor.
    Anika Reed, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Amanda learned in like 10 seconds, which is insane.
    Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2025
  • The emu egg—a two pound, eight-inch ovoid with a sultry teal shell gently speckled in pale green—seemed like just the right absurdist final flourish for an already insane endeavor.
    Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Exorbitant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exorbitant. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on exorbitant

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