trade down

verb

traded down; trading down; trades down

intransitive verb

1

: to trade something in (such as an automobile) for something less expensive or valuable of its kind

2

: to stock or purchase lower-priced items : economize

Examples of trade down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Two people who have spoken to the new Dolphins management said maximizing and collecting draft picks will be a priority for Sullivan and cautioned us not to be surprised if the team trades down in any of the early rounds to accumulate more picks. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026

Conversely, bitcoin has often traded down alongside other risk-on assets such as equities amid periods of high macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty, raising doubts about its utility as a safe haven. —Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 6 Feb. 2026

Should Eagles fans start prepping for a trade down or two in the draft, or more likely the Eagles stay pat/move up? —Zach Berman, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026

Tesla's stock traded down roughly 3.3% to about $435 per share during afternoon trading on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange on Monday, Jan. 26. —Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for trade down

• chinatown
• tumbledown
• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown