taxation

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   The way a government raises money by charging people and companies, or the amount of money raised in this way.

   Grammar: Has no plural and no article: high taxation, not a taxation.

   Patterns

   • taxation of something
   • taxation on something

   High taxation left workers with a small share of their pay.

   The council debated the taxation of rental income.

   Our country relies mainly on taxation to pay for roads and schools.

2. 2noununcountableformal

   The act of putting a tax on a particular thing or person.

   Grammar: Often followed by of: the taxation of sugary drinks.

   Patterns

   • the taxation of something

   The taxation of tobacco has reduced smoking in many countries.

   Critics argue that the double taxation of savings is unfair.

Common combinations

direct taxation

Income tax is a form of direct taxation.

indirect taxation

Sales tax is a common type of indirect taxation.

progressive taxation

Progressive taxation charges higher earners a larger share.

double taxation

The treaty prevents double taxation of foreign workers.

a system of taxation

The country is reforming its system of taxation.

Synonyms and how they differ

tax

A tax is one specific charge, while taxation is the whole practice or system of charging them.

levy

Levy is a formal word for a single charge imposed by authority, not the whole process.

revenue

Revenue is the money a government receives, while taxation is the method of collecting part of it.

duty

Duty is a tax on goods, especially imports, whereas taxation covers all kinds.

Opposites

Word family

tax noun

money paid to a government

tax verb

to charge a tax on something

taxable adjective

subject to tax

taxpayer noun

a person or company that pays tax

taxing adjective

requiring great effort or strain

Commonly confused: taxation or tax?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “taxation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words