Usage Note
Stangata literally means a blow with a stanga (pole/bar), but it is almost always used figuratively — a steep fine, a brutal tax hike, or any harsh economic hit (la stangata fiscale — 'the tax sting'). It is a very common word in Italian journalism. A related colloquial verb is stangare (to hit hard, to fleece). The plural is regular: le stangate.
Examples
"La nuova tassa è una vera stangata."
Natural Translation
The new tax is a real blow.
Related Words
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