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
Their last game was a 72-49 victory over Bryant of the AEC, where shooting was at a premium.
—
Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
That matters because the Senate has a health care vote to take in December and spending bills to pass by the end of January, a pile-up that puts floor time at a premium.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 23 Nov. 2025
There is always so much going into the ovens and space is at a premium.
—Aly Walansky, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2025
Also, balancing a cast as extraordinary and expansive as this is always going to be impossible, and with time at a premium in 30-minute sitcoms, a few favorites go neglected.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at a premium
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Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
That matters because the Senate has a health care vote to take in December and spending bills to pass by the end of January, a pile-up that puts floor time at a premium.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 23 Nov. 2025
There is always so much going into the ovens and space is at a premium.
—Aly Walansky, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2025
Also, balancing a cast as extraordinary and expansive as this is always going to be impossible, and with time at a premium in 30-minute sitcoms, a few favorites go neglected.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at a premium
Cite this Entry
“At a premium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20a%20premium. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.
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