duties free

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "duties free" is not correct in English; the correct term is "duty-free." You can use "duty-free" when referring to goods that can be purchased without the payment of certain taxes or duties, typically in international travel contexts.
Example: "I bought some perfume at the airport because it was duty-free."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

As part of Cisco's CSR program, the TacOps team performs all these duties free of charge.

Forbes

While it won't make any practical difference to the thousands of female golfers in the UK, it will help one of the game's governing bodies perform its duties free from rising criticism that was undermining its authority.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

What else is there to do but dutiful duty free?

The Guardian - Travel

Q | What is duty free?

Independent

"There is an assumption that duty free means cheaper.

Independent

I swipe furtive samples of aged gouda at duty free.

The Guardian - Opinion

Memories are duty free and last much longer than wine.

The New York Times - Food

Dubai Duty Free is dangling a $5 million prize in a raffle that is being called "the world's biggest duty-free promotion".

The New York Times

We've stocked up on duty free, but a trip to the "systemet" is fun; it's like a cross-Channel ferry duty-free, only huge.

The Guardian - Travel

Both are booked for the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot on 10 August.

Independent

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic will play their opening matches in the Dubai Duty Free Championships today.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to items or services not subject to taxes or tariffs, use the term "duty-free" instead of "duties free". This ensures grammatical correctness and clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "duties free" when you mean to say something is exempt from duties or taxes. The correct term is "duty-free", especially in contexts related to shopping at airports or international trade.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "duties free" is grammatically incorrect and not standard English. Instead, "duty-free" is used as an adjective to describe items or shops exempt from duties. The phrase does not function as a standard grammatical unit, according to Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Wiki

16%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

3%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "duties free" is grammatically incorrect. The correct term is "duty-free", used to describe goods exempt from taxes, particularly in travel and trade contexts. While "duties free" may occasionally appear, Ludwig AI confirms it's not standard English. For clarity and correctness, always use "duty-free" or alternatives like "tax-free" or "exempt from duties". Therefore, it's crucial to use the established and correct term for professional and clear communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

duty-free

This is the correct and commonly used term referring to goods exempt from certain taxes or duties.

tax-free

Similar to duty-free, referring to items or activities not subject to taxation.

exempt from duties

A more formal way to express the idea of not being required to pay duties.

free of charge

Refers to something being provided without cost, often in the context of services.

without charge

Synonymous with 'free of charge', indicating no cost is involved.

no cost

Directly indicates that there is no expense associated with something.

gratis

A less common, more formal term for 'free'.

complimentary

Often used in business contexts to denote something given freely as a courtesy.

at no expense

Highlights that there is no financial burden involved.

without obligation

Indicates that there is no required action or duty associated.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say that something is exempt from taxes at an airport?

The correct term is "duty-free". For example, "I bought perfume at the airport because it was "duty-free"".

Is it correct to say "duties free" instead of "duty-free"?

No, "duties free" is not grammatically correct. The correct term is "duty-free" when referring to items exempt from certain taxes.

What are some alternatives to saying "duty-free"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "tax-free" or "exempt from duties" to convey a similar meaning.

What does "duty-free" mean?

"Duty-free" refers to goods that are exempt from import, export, or other taxes, allowing them to be sold at a lower price, typically in international zones like airports.