cheap

1 of 2

adjective

ˈchēp 

1

a

: 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

2

a

: 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

cheapish

ˈchē-pish 

adjective

cheapishly adverb

cheaply

ˈchē-plē 

adverb

cheapness noun

cheapness

2 of 2

noun

cheap·​ness

ˈchēp-nəs

plural -es

: the quality or state of being cheap

Synonyms of cheap

Adjective

• inexpensive
• affordable
• reasonable
• popular

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

The forward estimates used to calculate the P/E ratio would've been higher, making the stock look cheaper in hindsight . —Zev Fima, CNBC, 3 June 2026

For comparison, the cheapest seats for Games 1 and 2 in San Antonio are listed at roughly $750 and $1,100, respectively. —Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026

There are also cheaper, beginner-friendly offerings from the likes of Sur-Ron and Talaria that cater to younger buyers. —Utkarsh Sood june 03, New Atlas, 3 June 2026

But public transport doesn’t come cheap. —Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 3 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

short for good cheap "at a bargain" with cheap "price, bargain" — more at cheap entry 3

First Known Use

Adjective

1517, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing cheap

• cheap shot
• cheap thrill
• come cheap
• dirt cheap
• for cheap
• on the cheap
• talk is cheap

Rhymes for cheap

• beep
• creep
• deep
• heap
• jeep
• keep
• leap
• peep
• reap
• seep
• sheep
• sleep

Kids Definition

cheap

adjective

ˈchēp

1

a

: available at low cost or at less than the true value

potatoes are cheap right now

b

: of low price

always buys the cheapest brand

c

: charging low prices

always wants to go to a cheap place

2

: gained with little effort

a cheap victory

3

a

: of low quality or value

cheap material wears out quickly

a cheap joke

b

: lowered in one's own opinion

feel cheap

c

: stingy sense 1

don't be so cheap

cheap adverb

cheapen

ˈchē-pən

verb

cheaply adverb

cheapness noun

Etymology

Adjective

from earlier obsolete cheap (noun) "bargain," from Old English cēap "trade" — related to chap entry 3