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

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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

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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

The motorcycle maker saw its first sales boost in years as riders respond to new models and cheap financing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

Iraola described the goals they conceded as "cheap" and "messy".

From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026

In comedy specials there’s a difference between storytelling for a cheap laugh and showing us an allegory or something with a deeper meaning within the story.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026

Some 93 percent of the cheap packages that arrived in Europe came from China, usually via popular Asian platforms such as AliExpress and Temu.

From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026

Beside it is what looks like a man in a cheap Chewbacca costume.

From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston

As the Wall Street saying goes, investors should avoid trying to pick a bottom because cheap can always get cheaper.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026

But he said Israel would need to rely more on cheaper artillery or non-sophisticated bombs, further increasing risks of civilian casualties that have enraged international opinion.

From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026

The council said it was a quick way to provide new housing, and was a cheaper option than some alternatives.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

“Oil that is actually loaded and shipped is getting cheaper relative to benchmarks—a sign of rising supply, not just nervous futures traders.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026

But eleven were just spam — which would have been great if I had been seeking a cheaper mortgage or a way to “lose that weight fast!”

From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick

In 2026, the cheapest model retails for over $80,000, while the “Cyberbeast” starts at more than $102,000.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026

PBMs emerged as intermediaries to help health insurers steer doctors and hospitals to the cheapest drug alternatives and give insurers the concentrated heft that would afford them greater leverage in negotiations with drug manufacturers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

The cheapest petrol-powered car in his showroom costs more than $12,000, while the electric cars start at $9,000, making them an increasingly attractive choice.

From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026

For example, they can be deliberate about when they buy their tickets—in previous years, it has been cheapest to book a Thanksgiving flight three to five weeks in advance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026

That’s because if you count the calories, foods loaded with sugar and fat are the cheapest foods in the market.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

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Related Words

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

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