cheapen

verb

cheap·​en ˈchē-pən How to pronounce cheapen (audio)
cheapened; cheapening
ˈchēp-niŋ,
ˈchē-pə- How to pronounce cheapen (audio)

transitive verb

1
[obsolete English cheap to price, bid for] archaic
a
: to ask the price of
b
: to bid or bargain for
2
a
: to make cheap in price or value
b
: to lower in general esteem
c
: to make tawdry, vulgar, or inferior

intransitive verb

: to become cheap

Examples of cheapen in a Sentence

products cheapened by sloppy workmanship Using the national flag in advertising only cheapens it. Poor marketing can cheapen a brand name. I thought that the show cheapened the lives of the people it portrayed. The wedding ceremony was cheapened by the best man's tasteless jokes.
Recent Examples on the Web Regardless of the game’s quality, the deliberately profit-minded release model cheapens the spirit of the series, and is a practice that feels wholly antithetical to Life is Strange’s ethos. Isaiah Colbert, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2024 Toy Story 4 was okay, but in some ways cheapened the perfect ending to the previous film. Erik Kain, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024 The Lego format doesn’t cheapen the power of his message, but rather reflects the quirky, outside-the-box thinking of the artist himself, who has always marched to the beat of his own drum, steering the cultural ship according to his unique point of view. Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2024 Last year's Fold didn't open all the way, which cheapened the experience of using it to some degree. PCMAG, 3 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cheapen 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cheapen.' 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

1562, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cheapen was in 1562

Dictionary Entries Near cheapen

Cite this Entry

“Cheapen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cheapen. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on cheapen

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!