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• bargain basement
  bargain basement

  noun

  a basement area in some stores where goods are sold at prices lower than usual.
• bargain-basement
  bargain-basement

  adjective

  very low-priced.

bargain basement

¹ American  

noun

1. a basement area in some stores where goods are sold at prices lower than usual.

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bargain-basement ² American  

[bahr-guhn-bays-muhnt] / ˈbɑr gənˌbeɪs mənt /

adjective

1. very low-priced.

2. noticeably lacking in quality; inferior.

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bargain basement British  

noun

1. part of a shop where goods are sold at reduced prices

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Etymology

Origin of bargain basement¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

Origin of bargain-basement²

First recorded in 1955–60

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bargain basement bargain-basement

The business model that once made it an industry maverick—bringing its brand of bargain basement fares coupled with fees for pretty much everything—faced pressure from more intense competition.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026

You got on the property ladder at a bargain basement price, and doubled down on that cost effectiveness by building a house.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 10, 2026

He also looks for managers who deliver higher returns on equity rather than shopping in the bargain basement for the biggest discounts.

From Barron's ● Feb. 27, 2026

Keeper Sels also falls into the bargain basement category, costing only £5m from Strasbourg in February this year.

From BBC ● Jan. 14, 2025

With my messy ponytails and dress from the bargain basement, I feel like the fairy tale’s ragged girl with the basket of onions when I’m around Miss Mademoiselle Danielle.

From "Lucky Broken Girl" by Ruth Behar

However the dominant performance of the Brewers’ bargain-basement bullpen would not.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

“We’re not going to be in a situation with bargain-basement fares anytime soon,” Funk said.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 18, 2025

On Facebook Marketplace, he tries to buy more overstock, such as cans of P&G’s Febreze room spray that he purchases at bargain-basement prices.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2025

All have more recent playing time than Driedger, whose salary isn’t exactly bargain-basement for teams pressed up against the NHL’s salary cap ceiling of $83.5 million.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 23, 2024

So who's coming in on the bargain-basement floor?

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 159, September 22, 1920 by Sir Owen Seaman

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Related Words

• competitive
• economical
• low-cost
• low-priced
• reasonable

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