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.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

at a premium

The Comex one-month futures contract trades at a premium to that at $6.75/lb, notes Price while the Shanghai Futures Exchange is higher still at $16,110/t or $7.30/lb.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026

“Branded products selling at a premium above a generic alternative is completely normal in any market,” spokesperson Jim Stanley said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

So Hormuz blocks commodity exports, Yuntianhua buys fertilizer inputs at a premium, then Beijing reduces global supply by restricting phosphate exports — and fertilizer prices go up.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 1, 2026

Its Birkin handbags continue to sell at a premium to retail prices in the secondhand market.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

However, where personal space is at a premium, tensions are apt to spike much more quickly than in a place where one’s battle cry reaches maybe ten neighbors instead of a hundred.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

Related Words

• costly
• extravagant
• fancy
• high
• lavish
• overpriced
• pricey
• upscale
• valuable