el cheapo

adjective

(ˌ)el-ˈchē-(ˌ)pō How to pronounce el cheapo (audio)
Definition of el cheaponext
1
as in cheap
costing little took an el cheapo vacation, staying at a friend's cabin the whole time

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in terrible
of low quality he bought el cheapo sneakers from someone on a street corner

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for el cheapo
  1. cheap
  2. terrible
  3. reasonable
  4. poor
  5. inexpensive
  6. bad
  7. affordable
  8. inferior
Adjective
  • Brands like Slate and Ford are betting cheaper, smaller electric trucks can attract buyers priced out of larger pickups.
    — Beth Livesay, AJC.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Beyond removing the psychological and practical barrier of injections, oral formulations are not reliant on syringes or refrigeration and are cheaper to manufacture.
    — Perdita Nouril, Vogue, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheap
Adjective
  • That is not saying that her kids are terrible, lazy, ugly, addicted to TikTok, or caught shoplifting at Brandy Melville.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The arena isn’t terrible but is below average by NHL standards.
    — Josh Yohe, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • And there is a reasonable likelihood that two of them will end up playing each other on Arthur Ashe either for history, or for the chance to make it, which will lead to unforeseen levels of patriotic tension.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • City officials say this boosts transparency, sets reasonable expectations and may deter people from repeatedly issuing the same complaint.
    — Point Loma-Ob Monthly, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of reasonable
Adjective
  • The petition argues Mays’ language during the trial revealed something deeper than a poor defense strategy — a worldview that dehumanized the man he was supposed to defend.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • There remains work to be done, as evidenced by their poor showing in last Thursday’s 41-17 preseason loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
    — Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • The approach allows the Chinese Navy to expand its fleet quickly while continuing to use a ship design that is already established, relatively inexpensive, and easier to produce and maintain, reports the Global Times (GT).
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2026
  • There’s no guarantee that someone else properly cleaned the piece, and the risk of an infection is greater than the reward of inexpensive undies.
    — Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of inexpensive
Adjective
  • Neighbors said the rotten-egg smell has gotten worse over the last couple of weeks, even trailing to apartments across the street.
    — Nicole Comstock, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • For Panama, the result is a wet season that’s already been drier than usual and is likely to get worse.
    — Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of bad
Adjective
  • Price cuts and pricey brands Companies known for affordable luxury including Tapestry, Estee Lauder and Birkenstock reported strong results on demand for apparel, bags, and fragrances priced well above $100.
    — Juveria Tabassum, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Summary The market for affordable vehicles is shrinking dramatically.
    — Jim Gorzelany, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of affordable
Adjective
  • But those three road losses were either in the postseason to a top-two team, at Oregon or the inexplicable 2024 loss to a far inferior Michigan team in The Game.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The main disagreement centers on what the union says are inferior pay scales compared with nonunion workers.
    — A.D. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of inferior
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.

Browse Nearby Words

elbows
el cheapo
elder
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Cite this Entry

“El cheapo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/el%20cheapo. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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