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Synonyms

at a premium

Idioms  

  1. At a higher price than usual owing to scarcity; also, considered more valuable, held in high esteem. For example, Since that article came out, the firm's stock has been selling at a premium and Space is at a premium in most stores. This idiom uses premium in the sense of “bounty” or “bonus.” [Mid-1800s] Also see put a premium on.

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.

“But once that technical overhanging is gone, I believe it’s going to trade at a premium, or at least at NAV.”

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

Sometimes, that nostalgia gets repackaged and sold back at a premium.

From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026

In a note earlier this month, Seaport analyst Jay Goldberg wrote that Apple is buying up memory chips at a premium in a bid to seize share from competitors.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026

They can remain “capital light” and less levered since they are unloading large chunks of debt, often at a premium.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

Space inside the pressure vessels is at a premium.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

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.