pricey
Americanadjective
adjective
Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pricey
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.
Pricey diesel makes it costlier to ship groceries around the country, potentially boosting prices in stores.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026
Since the beginning of November, the Hot & Messy 2000 has returned 9.2%, versus 7.6% for the Small But Serious 600 and 3.9% for the Big & Pricey 500.
From Barron's • Jan. 16, 2026
Pricey tomatoes: Tomato goods, including ketchup, spaghetti sauce, tomato soup and salsa, might be more expensive the next time you go to the grocery store, KNBC-TV reports.
From New York Times • May 10, 2023
Pricey historical dramas like “Emancipation” — better ones, worse ones — have long depended on stars to leverage their prestige ambitions and sell their weighty subject matter to a largely indifferent public.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 1, 2022
Pricey technology stocks were among the biggest losers in the broader market decline.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 22, 2022
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.
