at a premium

idiom

1
: for a high price
Land in the county is selling at a premium.
Rooms with a view are available, but they come at a premium.
2
: difficult to get because there is little available
We bought bunk beds because space in the apartment is at a premium.

Examples of at a premium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Future cap space is valued at a premium these days. Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026 Nearly 10 years later, in a far more play safe industry, premium plays are at a premium. Marta Balaga, Variety, 1 Feb. 2026 Like all microhotels, space was at a premium. Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 31 Jan. 2026 Benefits include economies of scale, which would help control costs within a depressed price environment for crude, as well as securing additional resources at a time when many shale basins are maturing and new prime development land is at a premium. Reuters, 30 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for at a premium

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“At a premium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20a%20premium. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster