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
There are also individuals who either stop using credit cards or avoid them altogether because of high interest rates or fees, which can make carrying a balance expensive.
—
Rick Watkin, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Many products were expensive, hard to use, and failed to deliver on their promises.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 20 May 2025
Would most people be willing to buy an expensive BTF Edition graphics card that can't be installed on anything but another BTF board later on?
—John Burek, PC Magazine, 20 May 2025
Topical daytime shows are expensive to make and do not have the online shelf-life of big-ticket dramas and documentaries, meaning they are being scaled back as media companies switch strategy.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for expensive
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Rick Watkin, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Many products were expensive, hard to use, and failed to deliver on their promises.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 20 May 2025
Would most people be willing to buy an expensive BTF Edition graphics card that can't be installed on anything but another BTF board later on?
—John Burek, PC Magazine, 20 May 2025
Topical daytime shows are expensive to make and do not have the online shelf-life of big-ticket dramas and documentaries, meaning they are being scaled back as media companies switch strategy.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for expensive
Cite this Entry
“Expensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expensive. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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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