dime-store

1 of 2

adjective

ˈdīm-ˌstȯr 

1

: inexpensive

dime-store perfume

2

: tawdry, second-rate

dime-store philosophy

dime store

2 of 2

noun

: five-and-dime

Synonyms of dime-store

Adjective

• cheap
• inexpensive
• reasonable
• affordable

Examples of dime-store in a Sentence

Adjective

a dime-store tablecloth that is certainly good enough for a picnic

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Along the narrow hallway, bookshelves burst with first editions of John Updike, battered Stephen Kings, graphic novels, dime-store paperbacks, board games, books about mythology, children’s fairy tales, and Warhammer rule sets. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 July 2026

Tommy Lee Walker, a 19-year-old Black man and new father, was convicted in 1954 of the murder of Venice Lorraine Parker, a 29-year-old white woman and dime-store clerk, under a bridge near the Love Field airport. — Jamie Landers, Dallas Morning News, 21 Jan. 2026

Noun

There was a dime store, a haberdashery, and a newspaper; for a while, Sam delivered fresh produce and cured meats by horse and buggy. — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026

During the 1930s and 1940s, customers could find glassware nearly anywhere, from department stores to dime stores and from catalogs to grocery-store promotions. — Alexandra Churchill, Martha Stewart, 17 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1938, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

circa 1928, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dime-store

• albacore
• alongshore
• antiwar
• anymore
• carnivore
• commodore
• dinosaur
• evermore
• furthermore
• guarantor
• herbivore
• heretofore

Kids Definition

dime store

noun

: a store that sells mainly inexpensive goods