nickel-and-dime

1 of 2

adjective

nick·​el-and-dime ˌni-kəl-ən-ˈdīm 

1

: involving or offering only a small amount of money

2

: small-time

nickel-and-dime

2 of 2

verb

nickeled-and-dimed ˌni-kəld-ən-ˈdīmd  or nickel-and-dimed ˌni-kəl-ən-ˈdīmd  ; nickeling-and-diming ˌni-k(ə-)liŋ-ən-ˈdī-miŋ  or nickel-and-diming ˌni-kəl-ən-ˈdī-miŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to impair, weaken, or defeat piecemeal (as through a series of small incursions or excessive attention to minor details)

2

: to treat (a person or situation) by paying excessive attention to small amounts of money often with a detrimental effect

Examples of nickel-and-dime in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

So, yes, Mercedes is not afraid to nickel-and-dime anyone with their compact sedan. — Adam Ismail, The Drive, 11 June 2026

Full-service hotels like Marriott and InterContinental still offer a more inclusive experience, and international airlines like Qatar Airways don't nickel-and-dime you for luggage. — Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025

The nickel-and-dime crack sales; the tickets for open containers — none of that mattered anymore. — Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 11 May 2025

With a comfy 16-point cushion entering the fourth quarter, though, Adelman turned to Jordan again to nickel-and-dime Jokic a few minutes of rest. — Luca Evans, Denver Post, 29 Apr. 2025

That’s caused the run game to fade and forced Patrick Mahomes to lean more into a nickel-and-dime approach. — Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025

Much of it has been nickel-and-dime stuff but with some big-name crooks. — Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2024

Trying to nickel-and-dime such an important player could have done more harm than good. — Darnell Mayberry, The Athletic, 1 Aug. 2024

Southwest Airlines, which set itself apart from its nickel-and-dime competitors, will soon scrap its open-seat policy and charge folks for more legroom. — Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 26 July 2024

Verb

So, yes, Mercedes is not afraid to nickel-and-dime anyone with their compact sedan. — Adam Ismail, The Drive, 11 June 2026

Full-service hotels like Marriott and InterContinental still offer a more inclusive experience, and international airlines like Qatar Airways don't nickel-and-dime you for luggage. — Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025

Bankruptcies, drunk driving charges, delinquent child support, foreclosures, nickel-and-dime car wrecks, suspicious slip-and-falls, dubious claims of disabilities — the stock-in- trade of a run-of-the-mill street lawyer whose law school dreams of riches had faded so dim they were almost gone. — Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1879, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1913, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nickel-and-dime

• cefotaxime
• seriatim
• abeam
• airstream
• bloodstream
• daydream
• downstream
• esteem
• extreme
• grapheme
• hakim
• hornbeam