cheap
Americanadjective
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cheaper,
comparative
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cheapest
superlative
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costing very little; relatively low in price; inexpensive.
a cheap dress.
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costing little labor or trouble.
Words are cheap.
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charging low prices.
a very cheap store.
-
of little account; of small value; mean; shoddy.
cheap conduct; cheap workmanship.
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embarrassed; sheepish.
He felt cheap about his mistake.
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obtainable at a low rate of interest.
when money is cheap.
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of decreased value or purchasing power, as currency depreciated due to inflation.
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stingy; miserly.
He's too cheap to buy his own brother a cup of coffee.
- Antonyms:
- charitable, generous
adverb
idioms
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cheap at twice the price, exceedingly inexpensive.
I found this old chair for eight dollars—it would be cheap at twice the price.
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on the cheap, inexpensively; economically.
She enjoys traveling on the cheap.
adjective
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costing relatively little; inexpensive; good value
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charging low prices
a cheap hairdresser
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of poor quality; shoddy
cheap furniture
cheap and nasty
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worth relatively little
promises are cheap
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not worthy of respect; vulgar
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ashamed; embarrassed
to feel cheap
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stingy; miserly
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informal mean; despicable
a cheap liar
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See chip
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informal extremely inexpensive
noun
adverb
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
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cheapnessnoun
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overcheapnessnoun
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cheapishadjective
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overcheapadjective
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cheapishlyadverb
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cheaplyadverb
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overcheaplyadverb
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uncheaplyadverb
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
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
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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.
See Examples For:
Companies in China benefit from cheap operating costs, including inexpensive open-source models from Chinese AI firms and proximity to China’s dense manufacturing supply-chain networks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
One reason the shares of so-called smid-cap energy stocks that insiders are buying look cheap is that they have failed to keep up with oil prices, Messier told me in a recent interview.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 19, 2026
Nvidia stock hasn't moved much in the past few months, which means it is looking cheap according to UBS analysts.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
But we're really searching for those who have offered the most value over the years - cheap picks who seriously delivered.
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
If the gossip ran rampant and Ba tried to force me to marry, I could still get another job and move into some cheap rooming house.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
Patients will order these cheaper, unproven products via an 800-number or the internet, skipping appointments with real doctors who can provide accurate diagnoses and proven treatments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Over the same period, boring old mutual funds have gotten cheaper.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Williams called on the UK government to bring in a system of cheaper energy prices for low income households, known as social tariffs.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
These private-label products, which are generally cheaper than national brands like Tide and Doritos, have made it easier for consumers to keep spending as prices for basics rise, propping up economic growth.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
“It is cheaper to buy off foes with food and gifts.”
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
But the market might be overreacting to the implications of an AI slowdown, leading tech stocks to trade at their cheapest levels since the launch of ChatGPT, according to Truist analyst Sam Grelck.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
In the cheapest states the annual cost of living for a family of four — without counting savings or entertainment — is estimated at slightly more than $100,000.
From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026
In Telegram groups sharing updates and advice about the tests, students were scrambling to find the cheapest and quickest alternatives to complete their applications.
From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026
Elsewhere in the stadium, members can purchase tickets for £92, but the cheapest adult tickets across the first three days are £115, with every ticket carrying a £2.50 booking fee.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
The asking price for the cheapest automobile amounted to twice the $500 annual salary of the average citizen—some cost three times that much—and all that bought you was four wheels, a body, and an engine.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
