cheapen

[chee-puhn]

verb (used with object)

1. to make cheap or cheaper.

2. to lower in esteem; bring into contempt.

   Constant swearing cheapened him.

3. to decrease the quality or beauty of; make inferior or vulgar.

   She cheapened the dress by adding a fringe to it.

4. Archaic.,  to bargain for.

verb (used without object)

1. to become cheap or cheaper.

cheapen

/ ˈtʃiːpən /

verb

1. to make or become lower in reputation, quality, etc; degrade or be degraded

2. to make or become cheap or cheaper

Other Word Forms

• cheapener noun
• uncheapened adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cheapen¹

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

Allegations of a purposefully cheapened offshore yuan as a controlled currency are misguided and ignore key facts, he says, adding that the PBOC’s price guidance has been predominantly to appreciate, not depreciate the yuan.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

I won’t spoil how, but it’s emotionally ruinous for the people involved, even if Mr. Laxe stages it with a bit of cheapening suspense.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But the bad vibes of “Artificial Angels” persist, not just because the name does what it can to cheapen Grimes’ 2015 masterwork “Art Angels,” which sees its tenth anniversary hit this very month.

Read more on Salon

"The way they do their buffet and their salad bar, it feels like they are cheapening on their quality and have lower standards...They're giving away so much food and you're like 'How?'"

Read more on BBC

If the company gets over its overamplification, which cheapens everything it presents, that need not disastrously lessen the impact.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• debase 
• degrade 
• demean 
• denigrate 
• disparage 
• mar 
• minimize