bargain-basement

1 of 2

adjective

bar·​gain-base·​ment ˈbär-gən-ˈbās-mənt 

1

: of inferior quality or worth

2

: markedly inexpensive

bargain-basement rates

bargain basement

2 of 2

noun

: a section of a store (such as the basement) where merchandise is sold at reduced prices

Synonyms of bargain-basement

Adjective

• cheap
• reasonable
• inexpensive
• affordable

Examples of bargain-basement in a Sentence

Adjective

throughout the trip we ate at bargain-basement restaurants in order to save money

bargain-basement shoes that fell apart after a week

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Such accounts were an early indication of the bargain-basement mentality of the organization's leadership. —Melissa Renteria, San Antonio Express-News, 26 Feb. 2026

And it is often sold at bargain-basement prices. —Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 16 Feb. 2026

Noun

However, there will be special bottles, for special occasions, and for those, the bargain basement, six bottle cooler won’t cut it. —Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Feb. 2026

That, plus some Sunday morning news interviews and a shot at conquering Cuba, and all for the bargain basement price of one soul. —Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1899, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bargain-basement

• abasement
• debasement
• defacement
• displacement
• effacement
• emplacement
• encasement
• misplacement
• outplacement
• replacement
• basement
• placement