big-ticket

adjective

big-tick·​et ˈbig-ˈti-kət 

1

: having a high price

the car was a big-ticket item

2

: having great importance or prominence : major

The founders had hoped to address three big-ticket issues: the environment, nuclear weapons, and Middle East peace.

—David Corn

Synonyms

• costly
• dear
• expensive
• extravagant
• high
• high-end
• high-ticket
• precious
• premium
• priceless
• pricey
• pricy
• spendy [chiefly Northwest]
• ultraexpensive
• valuable

Examples of big-ticket in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s your big-ticket purchase for 2027 sorted, then. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024

Many are increasingly using the loans for daily essentials, not just big-ticket purchases. —J.j. McCorvey, NBC News, 30 Mar. 2024

Consumers remain gloomy about the state of the economy and their ability to make big-ticket purchases. —Melvin Backman, Quartz, 29 Mar. 2024

Spotify first tried to diversify with podcasting, paying massive sums for big-ticket exclusives from Joe Rogan, Barack and Michelle Obama, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. —Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 27 Mar. 2024

Many reviewers note that the bag is the ideal size to carry laptops, books, cosmetics cases, and other big-ticket items. —Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 23 Mar. 2024

Moreover, the district has big-ticket capital improvements on the horizon, such as an $880 million seismic retrofit of the bridge. —Adrian Rodriguez, The Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2024

Both have attracted big-ticket announcements for semiconductor factories, as a result of subsidies available through the Chips and Science Act, bringing a promise of thousands of new jobs with it. —Akayla Gardner, Fortune, 20 Mar. 2024

When choosing big-ticket furniture items, prioritize compact options. —Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1933, in the meaning defined at sense 1