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 of big-ticket

• expensive
• valuable
• costly
• premium

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

At first glance, neither survey offers middle-income Americans much reason to blow the budget on big-ticket holiday gifts. —Mark Davis, USA Today, 20 Jan. 2026

Not only are big-ticket items significantly marked down, but everyday essentials are now even more accessible than ever. —Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2026

This weekend is a great time to save on big-ticket purchases like electronics. —Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 17 Jan. 2026

According to Bellinger, big-ticket items that pros usually buy in bulk — such as lumber, building materials, concrete, and even appliances — are lower margin products. —Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1933, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for big-ticket

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