big-ticket

adjective

big-tick·​et ˈbig-ˈti-kət How to pronounce big-ticket (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What if your next big-ticket purchase on Amazon wasn’t a smart TV or a Dyson vacuum cleaner — but a house? Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025 From sofas, beds and dining sets to essential decor and kitchenware, Wayfair’s Warehouse Clearout has big-ticket items on sale for up to 88% off. Nora Colomer May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2025 In a corner Reluctance to cut welfare spending and raise taxes, while promising big-ticket spending on the NHS, defense, infrastructure and education, means that Labour has boxed itself into a corner, Peel Hunt's Chief Economist Kallum Pickering told CNBC. Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025 While Primark’s traditional stores thrive in city centres and large shopping centers, the home store model could work well in out-of-town, suburban or strip mall locations, where shoppers are accustomed to visiting for big-ticket home and lifestyle purchases. Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for big-ticket

Word History

First Known Use

1933, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of big-ticket was in 1933

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Big-ticket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/big-ticket. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!