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

Solo dining is climbing, and small indulgences keep earning space in budgets even when the big-ticket splurges get cut. — Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2026

Close is the star of big-ticket movies, including Fatal Attraction and Dangerous Liaisons, and more recently appeared in Spain’s international Oscar submission and festival favorite La Bola Negra. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026

From September 2025 through August 2026, big-ticket renovation categories declined in a range of 10% to 28% at Home Depot and Lowe’s compared with the prior year, according to Datavations. — Kevin Williams, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026

These neighborhood third places are becoming too expensive both to operate and to visit, while big-ticket venues draw crowds downtown. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 2 Oct. 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