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

There’s the human connection—a charismatic seller appealing to you personally, fellow buyers fawning over items you’d normally scroll past, lucky bidders snagging deals in an era when everything seems to come at a premium.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 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

This resulted in most of the 12,000-strong population clustering around the coastal edges with usable space at a premium on an island that measures only 21 square kilometres.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 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