expensive
adjective
ex·pen·sive
ik-ˈspen(t)-siv 
1
: involving high cost or sacrifice
an expensive hobby
2
a
: commanding a high price and especially one that is not based on intrinsic worth or is beyond a prospective buyer's means
b
: characterized by high prices
expensive shops
expensively
adverb
expensiveness
noun
Examples of expensive in a Sentence
The lights were expensive to install.
expensive clothing that only the truly wealthy can afford
Recent Examples on the Web
The increase would make LAX rides among the world’s most expensive, sparking opposition from Uber, Lyft, travelers, and state lawmakers.
—
Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
The downside of being a competitive player is that rage quitting is an expensive personality trait.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 9 Mar. 2026
Colleges are now able to compete by offering to pay athletes for their services, and some colleges are finding that to be an expensive proposition.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 9 Mar. 2026
People in these groups are more likely to rely on subsistence fishing from the river for protein—and less likely to be able to afford the expensive reverse-osmosis filtration systems that screen out PFAS.
—Patrick Sisson, Scientific American, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for expensive
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Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
The downside of being a competitive player is that rage quitting is an expensive personality trait.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 9 Mar. 2026
Colleges are now able to compete by offering to pay athletes for their services, and some colleges are finding that to be an expensive proposition.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 9 Mar. 2026
People in these groups are more likely to rely on subsistence fishing from the river for protein—and less likely to be able to afford the expensive reverse-osmosis filtration systems that screen out PFAS.
—Patrick Sisson, Scientific American, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for expensive
Cite this Entry
“Expensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expensive. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
expensive
adjective
ex·pen·sive
ik-ˈspen(t)-siv
1
: costly sense 2
an expensive hobby
2
a
: having a high price
expensive gifts
b
: marked by high prices
expensive shops
expensively
adverb
expensiveness
noun
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