Meaning & use
undercharging
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“undercharging” is a form of “undercharge”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
Asking a customer to pay less than the proper or expected price, whether by mistake or by choice.
Grammar: Takes a customer as object: undercharging clients; or no object: she is undercharging.
Patterns
- undercharge someone for something
- undercharge for something
The cashier was undercharging customers for the cheese by mistake.
Many new freelancers end up undercharging for their time.
The garage admitted undercharging me for the repair.
noununcountable
The habit or mistake of setting a price too low for the work or goods provided.
Grammar: Often a business problem: undercharging hurts profit.
Patterns
- undercharging for something
Undercharging is a common mistake for new businesses.
Years of undercharging left the shop nearly bankrupt.
Her coach warned her about undercharging.
Word forms
| base form | undercharge |
|---|---|
| third person | undercharges |
| past tense | undercharged |
| past participle | undercharged |
Common combinations
- undercharging clients
- She was undercharging clients and working weekends.
- stop undercharging
- Stop undercharging and set fair prices.
- undercharging for services
- Undercharging for services signals poor quality to some buyers.
- accidentally undercharging
- The shop was accidentally undercharging for delivery.
Synonyms and how they differ
- underpricing
- Underpricing describes setting a low price on goods, while undercharging often focuses on what the customer is actually billed.
- undercutting
- Undercutting means pricing below a competitor on purpose, which undercharging does not require.
- discounting
- Discounting is a planned reduction, but undercharging is usually a mistake or a poor choice.
Opposites
Word family
- undercharge verb
- to bill too little
- charge verb
- to ask a price
- overcharge verb
- to bill too much
- surcharge noun
- an extra fee
Commonly confused: undercharging or overcharging?
undercharging vs overcharging
Overcharging means asking too much money, the opposite of undercharging.
Practice
A designer who is ___ her clients may be busy but still struggle to pay the bills.
Choose one answer.
Undercharging means asking too little, which fits being busy yet short of money. Overcharging would bring in more income.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “undercharging”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.