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• 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.

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bargain-basement ² American  

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

adjective

1. very low-priced.

2. noticeably lacking in quality; inferior.

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bargain basement British  

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of bargain basement¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

Origin of bargain-basement²

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bargain basement bargain-basement

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

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

He also looks for managers who deliver higher returns on equity rather than shopping in the bargain basement for the biggest discounts.

From Barron's ● Feb. 27, 2026

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

From BBC ● Nov. 20, 2025

With my messy ponytails and dress from the bargain basement, I feel like the fairy tale’s ragged girl with the basket of onions when I’m around Miss Mademoiselle Danielle.

From "Lucky Broken Girl" by Ruth Behar

In this case, given how much your home has appreciated over the years, I don’t recommend selling this to your daughter at a bargain-basement price.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 22, 2025

On Facebook Marketplace, he tries to buy more overstock, such as cans of P&G’s Febreze room spray that he purchases at bargain-basement prices.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2025

That could change the landscape of online shopping, particularly for the Chinese e-commerce companies behind wildly successful sites, such as Shein and Temu, that have enticed U.S. shoppers with bargain-basement prices.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 5, 2025

Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal ran down a list of recent, bargain-basement office sales.

From Slate ● May 26, 2023

So who's coming in on the bargain-basement floor?

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 159, September 22, 1920 by Sir Owen Seaman

Related Words

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