on the cheap

idiomatic phrase

: at minimum expense : cheaply
did the job on the cheap

Examples of on the cheap in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Trained as a sociologist, Lewis Hine picked up a camera and trained it on the cheap labor performed by children in American factories and on farms. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2025 Gear up with today’s Amazon deals and upgrade your outdated tech on the cheap. Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025 The near halving in stock price might have investors wondering, is now the time to scoop up shares on the cheap? David Trainer, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025 With the market’s recent sell-off, UBS sees opportunities to snatch up good stocks on the cheap. Alex Harring, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for on the cheap

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of on the cheap was in 1859

Cite this Entry

“On the cheap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20cheap. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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