cheap

adjective

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\ 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 — see also for cheap, 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 Charles Goodhart, a former member of the Bank of England’s monetary policy committee and an emeritus professor at the London School of Economics, warns that the tide of global savings that has kept borrowing cheap could recede in coming years. — Marcus Walker, WSJ, 12 July 2021 They’re mostly built from plastic, but that plastic doesn’t really look or feel cheap. — Maren Estrada, BGR, 9 July 2021 The trouble is, there are hundreds of drive options ranging from dirt-cheap to crazy expensive—which one is right for your needs? — Scott Gilbertson, Wired, 9 July 2021 Julien’s friends then make fun of for being lame and cheap. — Jackson Mchenry, Vulture, 8 July 2021 Veterans such as Griffin and Aldridge were happy to sign on cheap for a chance at a ring and the Nets should be able to interest more players like them. — Brian Mahoney, Star Tribune, 20 June 2021 In Europe, Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) hit a 10-year low in 2020—the fourth consecutive year-on-year dip and a sign that Brussels’ fears of a wave of asset-buying on the cheap were unfounded. — Annabelle Timsit, Quartz, 16 June 2021 These Traeger Magnetic Grill Hooks are available on the cheap and have tons of uses. — oregonlive, 10 June 2021 In vast spaces tricked out with Carrara marble and Beaux-Arts trimmings, a regular Joe or Jane could rub shoulders with V.I.P.s while eating on the cheap—or, depending on one’s tolerance for ketchup-and-hot-water soup, for free. — Henry Alford, The New Yorker, 24 May 2021

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.