Jump to:

• 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.

---

bargain-basement ² American  

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

adjective

1. very low-priced.

2. noticeably lacking in quality; inferior.

---

bargain basement British  

noun

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

---

Etymology

Origin of bargain basement¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

Origin of bargain-basement²

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

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

One veteran value fund manager thinks so, but he’s quick to point out that value doesn’t have to mean unloved stocks that are trading at bargain basement prices.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 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

Chris Edwards, a businessman from Yorkshire, has spent more than 50 years working in retail's bargain basement.

From BBC • Nov. 20, 2025

When Mama took us to the bargain basement sales in the Loveman’s and Pizitz department stores, we never asked why we couldn’t try on clothes.

From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry

Related Words

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