Usury usually refers to chargingasking someone to pay a particular amount for something an extremely high or illegalnot allowed by law rate of interestextra money paid for borrowing money on a loan. It can also mean the practice of lending money on such terms.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈjuːʒəri/
Easy pronunciation: YOO-zhuh-ree (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable.
Use this for the noun meaning an exorbitant or unlawful rate of interest.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Usury Meaning
interest charged at an extremely high or illegal rate
Part of speech: noun
Definition: an exorbitant or unlawful rate of interest
Example: The contract was criticized as usury because of its huge interest charges.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- vigorish — A slang term for an excessive charge, but it is much less formal and narrower in use.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Usury
Meaning 2
the practice of lending money at very high or illegal interest
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the act of lending money at an exorbitant rate of interest
Example: In older texts, usury refers to the practice of lending money at excessive interest.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Usury Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- vigorish
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- People sometimes use usury to mean any interest on a loan, but the word usually suggests rates that are unfairly high or illegal.
- Do not confuse usury with ordinary lending or borrowing.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does usury mean?
Usury means charging an extremely high or illegal rate of interest, and sometimes the practice of lending money on those terms.
Is usury the same as interest?
No. Interest is the normal charge for borrowing money, while usury refers to interest that is excessive or unlawful.
What is a synonym for usury?
A close synonym in some contexts is vigorish, though it is more informal and not always interchangeable.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-13. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
