big-ticket

adjective

big-tick·​et ˈbig-ˈti-kət How to pronounce big-ticket (audio)
Synonyms of big-ticketnext
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.
The debut release of a once-obscure Air Jordan 6 colorway will be one of the big-ticket items during NBA All-Star Weekend, and more plans centered upon the sneaker are surfacing as the occasion draws nearer. Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 27 Jan. 2026 Fewer Americans expect their incomes to rise in the coming months, prompting consumers to cut back on vacation plans and approach big-ticket purchases like new cars more cautiously. Jordan Erb, Bloomberg, 27 Jan. 2026 But the Caesars app kept glitching, a symptom, Nick said, of higher-than-usual traffic caused by a big-ticket championship fight between Canelo Álvarez and Terence Crawford the following night, and the Las Vegas Raiders’ home opener two days later. Jasper Craven, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026 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 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

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Cite this Entry

“Big-ticket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/big-ticket. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

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