cheap

American  

[cheep] / tʃip /

adjective

• cheaper,
  comparative
• cheapest
  superlative

1. costing very little; relatively low in price; inexpensive.

   a cheap dress.

   Antonyms:

   expensive, dear, costly

2. costing little labor or trouble.

   Words are cheap.

3. charging low prices.

   a very cheap store.

4. of little account; of small value; mean; shoddy.

   cheap conduct; cheap workmanship.

   Synonyms:

   base, inferior, poor, low, paltry

5. embarrassed; sheepish.

   He felt cheap about his mistake.

6. obtainable at a low rate of interest.

   when money is cheap.

7. of decreased value or purchasing power, as currency depreciated due to inflation.

8. stingy; miserly.

   He's too cheap to buy his own brother a cup of coffee.

   Antonyms:

   charitable, generous

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adverb

1. at a low price; at small cost.

   He is willing to sell cheap.

idioms

1. cheap at twice the price, exceedingly inexpensive.

   I found this old chair for eight dollars—it would be cheap at twice the price.

2. on the cheap, inexpensively; economically.

   She enjoys traveling on the cheap.

cheap British  

/ tʃiːp /

adjective

1. costing relatively little; inexpensive; good value

2. charging low prices

   a cheap hairdresser

3. of poor quality; shoddy

   cheap furniture

   cheap and nasty

4. worth relatively little

   promises are cheap

5. not worthy of respect; vulgar

6. ashamed; embarrassed

   to feel cheap

7. stingy; miserly

8. informal mean; despicable

   a cheap liar

9. See chip

10. informal extremely inexpensive

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noun

1. informal at a low cost

adverb

1. at very little cost

cheap More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing cheap

• dirt cheap
• on the cheap

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Synonym Usage

Cheap, inexpensive agree in their suggestion of low cost. Cheap now usually suggests shoddiness, inferiority, showy imitation, complete unworthiness, and the like: a cheap kind of fur. Inexpensive emphasizes lowness of price (although more expensive than cheap ) and suggests that the value is fully equal to the cost: an inexpensive dress. It is often used as an evasion for the more specific cheap.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• cheapness
  noun
• overcheapness
  noun
• cheapish
  adjective
• overcheap
  adjective
• cheapishly
  adverb
• cheaply
  adverb
• overcheaply
  adverb
• uncheaply
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Adjectives

• cheaper
  comparative
• cheapest
  superlative

Etymology

Origin of cheap

First recorded before 900; Middle English cheep (short for phrases such as good cheep “cheap,” literally, “good bargain”), Old English cēap “bargain, market, trade”; cognate with German Kauf, Old Norse kaup; all from Latin caupō “innkeeper, tradesman”; see chapman

Explanation

Something cheap doesn't cost much money. But watch out, because cheap things are also often cheaply made. When prices are low, they're cheap: that's a good thing. However, this word is often an insult. Hitting someone who isn't looking is a cheap shot. Things that aren't very well made and use low-quality materials are cheap. When someone — especially a woman — is dressed in a trashy way, people say "You look cheap!" And if you have a stingy Uncle Scrooge in your family, you can call him cheap or even a cheapskate.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cheap cheaper cheapest

"They're not cheap if you get the official ones."

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

The Army program aims to put cutting-edge AI, mapping and communication technology in soldiers’ hands at a time when cheap drones and precision missiles force troops to be more spread out and nimble.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

If you’re a believer that the artificial-intelligence trade has more room to run, there are a number of cheap stocks out there — including some big names.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

With consumer debt cheap and federal regulators sidelined, debt collection giants are increasingly turning to litigation to secure payouts.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

I tilt my head down in shame, look at the worn, shaggy orange rug that was too cheap to pass up at a garage sale.

From "A Step from Heaven" by An Na

We followed the supply chain behind official shirts after fans told us they were frustrated by rising prices, with many turning to cheaper counterfeits instead.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

Each of my Waymo airport rides was cheaper than Uber and Lyft’s comfort rides, which cost more than standard rides but don’t always deliver in my experience.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

All three are betting that 2027 will be cheaper than 2026.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026

Singh has urged his drivers to strategically fuel up in Arizona, where fuel prices are a couple of dollars cheaper, before reentering California to save on costs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

Myriad has been accused of creating a monopoly, since no one else can offer the test, and researchers can’t develop cheaper tests or new therapies without getting permission from Myriad and paying steep licensing fees.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

There are multiple apps dedicated to finding the cheapest fuel around, but Google Maps is used by 77% of Britain's adult population for general navigation, according to Ofcom.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

The analysts based their findings on 12 questions, such as where someone should shop for the lowest grocery prices this week, where to get household essentials and where to could get the cheapest car battery.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026

Now dad and mom, who have been transporting them around for years in club softball, will have to begin looking for the cheapest flights to Tallahassee.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

“Typically, the cheapest price that you find on the internet is not going to end up being your best overall deal,” said Jared Glover, who runs a Jeep-Ram store in the Tulsa, Okla., area.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026

“It is the cheapest one here,” Irela warned her, “and Elvio says this is the cheapest store in town.”

From "Lupita Mañana" by Patricia Beatty

Related Words

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