cheap

adjective

\ ˈchēp

Definition of cheap

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : charging or obtainable at a low price a good cheap hotel cheap tickets

b : purchasable below the going price or the real value

c : depreciated in value (as by currency inflation) cheap dollars

2a : of inferior quality or worth : tawdry, sleazy cheap workmanship

b : stingy My uncle was too cheap to pay for dinner.

c : contemptible because of lack of any fine, lofty, or redeeming qualities feeling cheap I felt cheap, full of shame and guilt

3 : gained or done with little effort a cheap victory talk is cheap

4 of money : obtainable at a low rate of interest

cheap

adverb

Definition of cheap (Entry 2 of 3)

: for little cost : cheaply was able to buy it cheap "It all seems to centre round that bust of Napoleon which I bought for this very room about four months ago. I picked it up cheap from Harding Brothers, two doors from the High Street Station."— Arthur Conan Doyle

cheap

noun

Definition of cheap (Entry 3 of 3)

obsolete

: bargain

on the cheap

: at minimum expense : cheaply did the job on the cheap

Other Words from cheap Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about cheap

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Other Words from cheap

Adjective

cheapish \ ˈchē-pish

\ adjective

cheapishly adverb

cheaply \ ˈchē-plē

\ adverb

cheapness noun

Examples of cheap in a Sentence

Adjective

I always buy the cheapest brand of cereal. curtains made of cheap material He wears a cheap watch that's always breaking. This gas station is cheaper than the one by the highway. Don't be cheap—buy good quality tires for your car.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

This 7-foot-tall sprinkler has a crazy resemblance to Sully from Monsters Inc... and for $49.99 is much cheaper than taking the kids to Disneyland. — Madeleine Bokan, House Beautiful, "Your Backyard Will Feel Like a Disney Water Park With This Giant Monster Sprinkler," 29 Mar. 2019 The mid-size models are easier to live with and cheaper to fuel than the full-size and heavy-duty variants. — Kirk Seaman, Car and Driver, "2019 Editors' Choice Awards: The Best Trucks, SUVs, and Vans," 24 Jan. 2019 The town also plans to offer phone and TV service at rates cheaper than Comcast's. — Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, "Comcast rejected by small town—residents vote for municipal fiber instead," 11 Dec. 2018 Natural gas and renewables are increasingly cheaper than coal. — Umair Irfan, Vox, "The EPA plans to lift greenhouse gas limits on coal power plants," 6 Dec. 2018 But despite the tally coming in that much cheaper than her cousin's wedding, Princess Eugenie's big day is sure to be a lavish and memorable affair. — Amy Mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "Princess Eugenie's Royal Wedding Is Costing More Than We Initially Thought," 22 Sep. 2018 Say, for example, a school is headquartered in Los Angeles, but the student is taking classes at a suburban satellite where the cost of living is cheaper. — Emily Stewart, Vox, "The VA’s latest issues paying student veterans their benefits, explained," 11 Dec. 2018 With the emphasis on free activities, the site feels like a complimentary tool to using Hopper to find cheap flights and Kayak to find hotels. — Shannon Liao, The Verge, "Google’s Touring Bird is a travel tool to help vacationers find free activities in new cities," 7 Sep. 2018 Flowering shrubs like hydrangeas (or plants that don’t mind moisture) can act like a living shower wall (and tend to be cheaper). — Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, "What You Should Know Before Installing an Outdoor Shower," 11 Apr. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cheap.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.