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

with the tough economy, fewer people are likely to be making big-ticket purchases

Recent Examples on the Web

Many car parts, electronic components and other big-ticket consumer items are manufactured in China, for example, which currently faces a 145% total tariff rate on goods imported to the United States. —Cameron Albert-Deitch, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2025

That could mean fewer big-ticket purchases and more buyer’s remorse. —Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025

Best Early Way Day Decor Deals Improving your space is about so much more than big-ticket items, like a new sectional or bed. —Megan Schaltegger, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Apr. 2025

There’s been a lot of attention on how these tariff wars will impact big-ticket items like cars and tech. —Korin Miller, Flow Space, 17 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1933, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for big-ticket

• chicot
• cricket
• picket
• picot
• thicket
• ticket
• wicket