exorbitant
Americanadjective
-
exceeding the bounds of custom, propriety, or reason, especially in amount or extent; highly excessive.
to charge an exorbitant price; exorbitant luxury.
-
Archaic. outside the authority of the law.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of exorbitant
1425–75; late Middle English < Late Latin exorbitant- (stem of exorbitāns, present participle of exorbitāre to go out of the track), equivalent to ex- ex- 1 + orbit ( a ) wheel track ( see orbit) + -ant- -ant
Explanation
Use the adjective exorbitant when you want to describe something that is really just too much! You'll often hear people griping about exorbitant bank fees or exorbitant interest rates. The adjective exorbitant was originally a legal term to describe a case that was outside the bounds of the law. It comes from the Latin roots — the prefix ex, meaning "out of," and orbita, meaning "wheel track." You can see how the word now has come to be described as something that has gone way off the beaten track, especially in terms of price and value.
Vocabulary lists containing exorbitant
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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.
Some skeptics think SpaceX’s exorbitant valuation is much too high.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
Asked recently about ticket prices, deemed exorbitant by many fans, Trump said he would not pay the more than $1,000 required for the first match if he were an ordinary supporter.
From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026
When he did play, at the expense of the one signing who was playing well at that point, Ekitike, he looked listless and off the pace, poor value for money at such an exorbitant fee.
From BBC • May 30, 2026
But for many analysts on Wall Street, leaning into “unexciting” applications across its numerous business surfaces might just be Google’s superpower, providing a much-needed monetization outlet to justify the exorbitant costs of developing the technology.
From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026
Those willing to pay the exorbitant fees are shifted backward in time to view history firsthand.
From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson
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.
