cheapen
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to make cheap or cheaper.
-
to lower in esteem; bring into contempt.
Constant swearing cheapened him.
-
to decrease the quality or beauty of; make inferior or vulgar.
She cheapened the dress by adding a fringe to it.
-
Archaic. to bargain for.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to make or become lower in reputation, quality, etc; degrade or be degraded
-
to make or become cheap or cheaper
Other Word Forms
- cheapener noun
- uncheapened adjective
Etymology
Origin of cheapen
1555–65; cheap + -en 1; replacing Middle English chepen (> obsolete English cheap (v.)) to price, bargain, Old English cēapian to bargain, trade, buy; cognate with Old Norse kaupa, Gothic kaupōn, German kaufen
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.
"It cheapened the film for me," agrees Gemma Haynes, while another fan, Nastassja Loots, says it "looks fake and people can see through it".
From BBC
The Japanese government doesn’t want its currency to cheapen dramatically; that makes it more expensive for Japanese citizens to buy what they need.
From Barron's
“No need to cheapen things with coarse language,” Alicia said to Daniel.
From Literature
“Chill on the AI it cheapens the brand,” one wrote on Instagram.
For some Snoopy enthusiasts, the high volume of Snoopy products borders on oversaturation, threatening to cheapen the spirit of the character.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
