inexpensive
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
See cheap.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of inexpensive
Explanation
Anything that's inexpensive doesn't cost a lot. The inexpensive camping trip your family takes, instead of flying first class to Disney World, might turn out to be a lot of fun! Inexpensive things are affordable, sometimes because they're cheaply made, but often because they're reasonably priced. Check out the thrift stores before you buy those $200 jeans — you might find an inexpensive used pair that looks identical! Or cook an inexpensive meal at home instead of eating at a fancy restaurant, and you'll have money to splurge on dessert. The Latin root of expensive means "weigh out money," and the prefix in- means "not."
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.
Rather than trying to brighten the room, he leaned into the moodiness by buying inexpensive, USB battery-powered spotlights that are mounted on the ceiling with magnets.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 26, 2026
One of the largest costs for the U.S. during its conflict with Iran has been the missiles used to shoot down inexpensive drones.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 22, 2026
Simple, fun and inexpensive, there's plenty to be sold on when it comes to baking dot cakes at home.
From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026
Biscuits simply give you a flexible, inexpensive starting place from which abundance becomes much easier.
From Salon • Jun. 18, 2026
He judged me by that and indicated a place where lodging was inexpensive.
From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin
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.
