variants
also five-and-dime
as in variety store
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Recent Examples of five-and-ten
The 75-year-old daughter of Sam Walton, the late Walmart founder who turned a five-and-dime store in rural Arkansas into the world’s largest company by revenue, thinks the US is very close to that breaking point.
—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Founded by Frank Winfield Woolworth in New York in 1879, the retail chain sold staple items from pencils to baseballs at low prices, often just a nickel or a dime, a revolutionary concept that helped Woolworth’s expand to 5,500 five-and-dime stores nationwide at its peak.
—Katya Cengel, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2025
Some say it was first made at a five-and-dime shop on the city’s downtown square in the 1950s.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 14 May 2025
The location was formerly home to a dry cleaners in a building that also held a supermarket, a pharmacy and a five-and-dime store.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Feb. 2025
The casualties of the times — a historic farm property, an independent pharmacy, an old-school five-and-dime — got their due in her column.
—Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2025
Some considered Woolworth’s the first national discounter, but Woolworth’s is best classified as a Main Street, five-and-dime store, with counters for sandwiches and chocolate egg cremes.
—David Moin, WWD, 21 Oct. 2024
The retailer started as part of the five-and-dime variety chain that included the retail graveyard nameplates McCrory’s and Woolworth.
—Vicki M. Young, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Founded by Frank Winfield Woolworth in New York in 1879, the retail chain sold staple items from pencils to baseballs at low prices, often just a nickel or a dime, a revolutionary concept that helped Woolworth’s expand to 5,500 five-and-dime stores nationwide at its peak.
—Katya Cengel, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2025
Some say it was first made at a five-and-dime shop on the city’s downtown square in the 1950s.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 14 May 2025
The location was formerly home to a dry cleaners in a building that also held a supermarket, a pharmacy and a five-and-dime store.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Feb. 2025
The casualties of the times — a historic farm property, an independent pharmacy, an old-school five-and-dime — got their due in her column.
—Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2025
Some considered Woolworth’s the first national discounter, but Woolworth’s is best classified as a Main Street, five-and-dime store, with counters for sandwiches and chocolate egg cremes.
—David Moin, WWD, 21 Oct. 2024
The retailer started as part of the five-and-dime variety chain that included the retail graveyard nameplates McCrory’s and Woolworth.
—Vicki M. Young, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for five-and-ten
Noun
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Follow one of the Hallmark Movie Itineraries from Visit Buffalo to have your own main character moments at spots like a nearly century-old variety store Vidler’s 5 & 10 and Elm Street Bakery.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
2 Dec. 2025
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For those that live in the neighborhood, offerings at the Metropolitan Bar and Kitchen’s variety store are convenient for those looking to stop in for pizza and beer, wine and other items.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The boutique hotel has 42 rooms, and the majority of accommodations are suites with a separate seating area and private balcony.—
Liz Provencher,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
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Fifth-generation Moscot frames sit a few doors from Collina Strada’s under-the-radar boutique, and Dimes Deli anchors the corner where fashion people refuel between stops.—
Paul Jebara,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The House Oversight Committee’s first hearing on the Minnesota fraud scandal was complete with lawmakers pointing fingers and exchanging barbs in heated exchanges.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
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His son looks just as focused, especially after the two exchange words.—
Mirin Fader,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The food mart scored 12 on the June 17 follow-up inspection.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 June 2025
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Maryland Lottery officials are also giving a $500 bonus to the Baltimore food mart that sold him the winning ticket.—
Jillian Frankel,
People.com,
9 June 2025
Noun
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The honeycomb mirror over the fireplace was an inexpensive purchase from a chain store.—
Zoe Gowen,
Southern Living,
29 Dec. 2025
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The new buildings were branded by banks, insurance companies, and chain stores.—
John Seabrook,
New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Soon afterward, cheap paperback classics could be found everywhere from newsstands to dime stores.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
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Salem, circa 1955: Before the opening of Walmart, many small-town main streets were home to a Ben Franklin dime store, one of which was under the franchise that gave Sam Walton his start in Newport, 1945.—
Ray Hanley,
arkansasonline.com,
4 Oct. 2024
Noun
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In fact, there are a few particularly valuable pieces of furniture that experienced vintage sellers and antique experts always keep an eye out for at the thrift shop.—
Heather Bien,
Martha Stewart,
12 Jan. 2026
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After Long Weekends Another good time of year to visit the thrift shop is right after a long weekend, no matter the time of year.—
Sarah Lyon,
Southern Living,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
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For the second time in his career, luxury executive Geoffroy van Raemdonck has been tasked with fixing an iconic department store company brought low by financial engineering.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
15 Jan. 2026
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The Saks deal also raised the possibility that Amazon could deepen its investment in the department store chain.—
Gabrielle Fonrouge,Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Five-and-ten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/five-and-ten. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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