cheap
Americanadjective
-
costing very little; relatively low in price; inexpensive.
a cheap dress.
-
costing little labor or trouble.
Words are cheap.
-
charging low prices.
a very cheap store.
-
of little account; of small value; mean; shoddy.
cheap conduct; cheap workmanship.
-
embarrassed; sheepish.
He felt cheap about his mistake.
-
obtainable at a low rate of interest.
when money is cheap.
-
of decreased value or purchasing power, as currency depreciated due to inflation.
-
stingy; miserly.
He's too cheap to buy his own brother a cup of coffee.
- Antonyms:
- charitable, generous
adverb
idioms
-
cheap at twice the price, exceedingly inexpensive.
I found this old chair for eight dollars—it would be cheap at twice the price.
-
on the cheap, inexpensively; economically.
She enjoys traveling on the cheap.
adjective
-
costing relatively little; inexpensive; good value
-
charging low prices
a cheap hairdresser
-
of poor quality; shoddy
cheap furniture
cheap and nasty
-
worth relatively little
promises are cheap
-
not worthy of respect; vulgar
-
ashamed; embarrassed
to feel cheap
-
stingy; miserly
-
informal mean; despicable
a cheap liar
-
See chip
-
informal extremely inexpensive
noun
adverb
Related Words
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
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.
Vocabulary lists containing cheap
Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 5
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Kids Like Me: Voices of the Immigrant Experience"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Not because spices make cheap food merely tolerable, but because they’re often the difference between a meal that feels like compromise and one you genuinely crave again a few days later.
From Salon • May 19, 2026
It was burdened by intense competition from other online retailers and a consumer base that prioritized cheap prices over environmental responsibility.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
That makes the automaker’s franchises a cheap entry point for newcomers like Carvana.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026
And some of the hottest tech stocks are remarkably cheap relative to the companies’ profit estimates.
From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026
In this case, however, they were being offered a cheap ticket to a drama that looked virtually certain to happen.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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.
