pricey

Or pric·y

[prahy-see]

adjective

pricier, priciest 

1. expensive or unduly expensive.

   a pricey wine.

pricey

/ ˈpraɪsɪ /

adjective

1. an informal word for expensive

Other Word Forms

• pricily adverb
• priceyness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of pricey¹

First recorded in 1930–35; price + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Ossoff called Georgia Pathways “a boondoggle that’s wasted tens of millions on pricey consultants while Georgia hospitals struggle and Georgians get sick without health insurance.”

From Salon

Gene therapies are often pricey, but their long-term impact means that can still be affordable.

From BBC

That estimate comes from the investment bank Morgan Stanley, which adds that roughly half of that sum will go on construction costs, and half on the pricey hardware supporting the AI revolution.

From BBC

She's grateful her parents can help pay for her accommodation, so her maintenance loan can cover food, transport, socialising and pricey law books.

From BBC

More than a decade ago, pricey smart glasses that allowed people to snap photos, text and browse the web generated a lot of buzz but also resistance.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• arbitrary 
• excessive 
• exorbitant 
• extreme 
• illegitimate 
• improper 
• inordinate 
• senseless 
• unconscionable 
• undue 
• unfair 
• unjust 
• unjustifiable 
• unlawful 
• unwarranted 
• wrongful 

When To Use

What does pricey mean?

Pricey describes something that is expensive or unreasonably expensive, as in Talya wanted to go on the world cruise, but the tickets were so pricey. Pricey is a highly subjective description, because everyone’s budget is different and everyone’s opinion about what an acceptable price is for a product or service varies. You’ll use pricey most often when you think the cost of something is much higher than you want to pay, whether or not a majority of people think that same item is pricey.You might also use pricey to describe something that is more expensive than others like it but that provides a higher value or quality in return. In this case, pricey would be an acceptable quality.Example: The hotel was a bit pricey, but we had a good time.