expensive

adjective

ik-ˈspen(t)-siv How to pronounce expensive (audio)
Definition of expensivenext
as in costly
commanding a large price expensive clothing that only the truly wealthy can afford

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of expensive Although designing chips is expensive up-front, the potential efficiency and economic advantages of having an in-house design that your models are optimized for may well outweigh the costs. — Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026 Woodhall told him two expensive Cartier rings were lost at his home in Wamego, Kansas, about 100 miles from Kansas City. — Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026 Building a cellular network will also be expensive, and Shotwell declined to say how much SpaceX will spend on its terrestrial network. — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 5 Aug. 2026 Miami’s ultra-exclusive Fisher Island has been dethroned as the nation’s most expensive ZIP code after a two-year reign. — Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for expensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expensive
  1. costly
  2. valuable
  3. premium
  4. precious
  5. extravagant
Adjective
  • Utility costs are climbing nationwide as demand surges to feed energy-hungry data centers, and climate change spurs costly upgrades.
    — Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Li also pushes back on the idea that greener always means costlier.
    — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of costly
Adjective
  • Estate sales often come with financial obligations and deadlines that ordinary consignments do not, which can make certainty particularly valuable.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • That network will offer valuable alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz during times of crisis.
    — Firmesk Rahim, The Conversation, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of valuable
Adjective
  • The current national average cost for regular gas is more than $4 a gallon, according to AAA, and the average for premium gas is almost $5.
    — Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Known for its ultra-premium real estate market and close proximity to Boston, Weston, Massachusetts, stands as one of the most exclusive and expensive towns in the state.
    — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of premium
Adjective
  • The romantic gesture set off a trend and from around 1790 to 1830, miniature artists began to house these tiny eyes in jewels as precious keepsakes.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The middle of the infield, in particular, has struggled offensively and with precious little power.
    — Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of precious
Adjective
  • The company has deals with many studios as well, as filmmakers try to generate more extravagant shots at lower costs.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The era is remembered as a golden age of prosperity, paired with a thriving art and culture scene—Toulouse-Lautrec posters, the Eiffel Tower (built in 1889), extravagant fashion, the Moulin Rouge, and the flourishing Impressionist art world.
    — R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of extravagant

Browse Nearby Words

expenses
expensive
expensively
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Expensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expensive. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on expensive

Nglish: Translation of expensive for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of anecdote

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All