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Meaning & use

hourly charge

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈaʊəli tʃɑːdʒ/
US/ˈaʊərli tʃɑːrdʒ/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    An amount of money that a worker or company asks for each hour of work or service.

    Grammar: Countable: you can say 'an hourly charge', 'hourly charges', or 'the hourly charge is $40'.

    Patterns

    • an hourly charge for something
    • an hourly charge of $50
    • charge an hourly charge

    The plumber's hourly charge is $65, plus the cost of parts.

    Please check the hourly charge before you book the consultant.

    Many customers prefer a fixed price to an hourly charge.

  2. noununcountablebusiness

    The practice of billing someone for each hour worked, rather than for a completed job.

    Grammar: Used without 'a' or a plural: 'We work on hourly charge' means the billing system is per hour.

    Patterns

    • work on hourly charge
    • be paid on hourly charge

    The agency works on hourly charge, so the final bill depends on how long the job takes.

    Some clients dislike being on hourly charge because costs can grow quickly.

Word forms

pluralhourly charges

Common combinations

an hourly charge for something
There is an hourly charge for using the meeting room.
an hourly charge of $50
The lawyer quoted an hourly charge of $50 for a short call.
charge an hourly charge
The garage will charge an hourly charge for labor.
add an hourly charge
They add an hourly charge if the job runs past 6 p.m.

Synonyms and how they differ

hourly rate
This is more common for the price per hour itself, while 'hourly charge' often sounds like a specific fee for a service.
hourly fee
This is close in meaning, but 'fee' is often used for professional services such as lawyers or tutors.
labor charge
This can be hourly or fixed, so it is broader and does not always mean per hour.

Word family

hourly adjective
Happening or paid every hour, as in 'hourly pay'.
hourly adverb
Every hour, as in 'The bus leaves hourly'.
charge verb
To ask someone to pay a particular amount for something.

Commonly confused: hourly charge or hourly rate? hourly charge or service charge?

hourly charge vs hourly rate

An 'hourly rate' is the standard price per hour, while an 'hourly charge' can be the actual amount billed for a particular service.

hourly charge vs service charge

A service charge is usually a fixed or percentage fee added to a bill, not necessarily based on hours.

Practice

The electrician's ______ is $80, so a two-hour job will cost $160.

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