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 When asked how Democrats plan to overcome a dominant Arkansas GOP led by Sanders, Tennille knocked on the cheap wooden lectern the party used for its Tuesday's news conference, a dig at the purchase by the governor's office of a $19,000 lectern that has prompted a legislative audit. Michael R. Wickline, arkansasonline.com, 15 Nov. 2023 Mixing Policies Low interest rates and large-scale QE programs allowed treasuries to borrow on the cheap to finance stimulus campaigns, protecting labor markets, businesses and consumers from collapse. Jana Randow, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2023 Online retailer Shein has become well-known for its massive inventory of trendy clothing produced and sold to consumers on the cheap. Karen Ye, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2023 Prices start at $4, so this is a solid way to add some new games to your library on the cheap. WIRED, 21 Oct. 2023 Despite the struggle of British pubs, Morgan Stanley and Cerberus may spy an opportunity to pick up a host of U.K. real estate premises on the cheap, perhaps converting them into residential spaces. Byryan Hogg, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2023 Tons of popular fashion brands have Prime Day deals: Scoop up the Adidas Grand Court 2.0 Tennis Shoe, this Calvin Klein bralette, and this Vera Bradley sling bag on the cheap. Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 10 Oct. 2023 More information on how to stream live TV, sports events, and movies on the cheap: • What is Philo? oregonlive, 19 Sep. 2023 En route, the journeyman right-hander, whom the Orioles drafted on the cheap in the offseason, strikes out 11 Dodgers, including six in a row, retiring all six of them swinging. Mike Klingaman, Baltimore Sun, 19 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'on the cheap.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near on the cheap

Cite this Entry

“On the cheap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20cheap. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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