pricey
Americanadjective
adjective
Usage
What does pricey mean? Pricey describes something that is expensive or unreasonably expensive, as in Talya wanted to go on the world cruise, but the tickets were so pricey. Pricey is a highly subjective description, because everyone’s budget is different and everyone’s opinion about what an acceptable price is for a product or service varies. You’ll use pricey most often when you think the cost of something is much higher than you want to pay, whether or not a majority of people think that same item is pricey.You might also use pricey to describe something that is more expensive than others like it but that provides a higher value or quality in return. In this case, pricey would be an acceptable quality.Example: The hotel was a bit pricey, but we had a good time.
Other Word Forms
- priceyness noun
- pricily adverb
Etymology
Origin of pricey
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They are pricey, but 2026 sales are expected to grow roughly 90%.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
The brand’s pricey wool shoes were initially embraced by celebrities like Leonardio DiCaprio, who invested in the company in 2018.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
Since this spread is likely to be quite pricey, we may also be setting a dollar stop if the spread purchase is confirmed.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026
But those gains also add to Arm’s already pricey valuation; the stock now trades at 81 times projected earnings.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026
She lived in one of the pricey rooms on the first floor with her husband, Mr. Nash, who worked as a photographer on State Street.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
