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.
At the time, many offered inexpensive living and dining options that weren’t readily available on many campuses, along with a group of friends.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
Of course, an inexpensive spread can still become a fairly ambitious undertaking if you try to prepare everything the afternoon of the party.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
A system that produces inexpensive answers but requires repeated corrections can be costly to use.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
Vanillin offers another important advantage beyond its potential biological activity: it is inexpensive and readily available.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
His wife wore a button on her lapel that said union, and I noticed Hank Garvin wore the inexpensive watch that was the best we could afford to give him for a thank-you.
From "Kira-Kira" by Cynthia Kadohata
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
