Cheap vs. Cheep — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 25, 2023
Cheap refers to something of low cost or value; Cheep is the chirping sound made by small birds.
Difference Between Cheap and Cheep
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Cheap is an adjective describing something that costs little or seems to be of low quality. A product sold at a discount, for instance, might be considered "cheap." Conversely, Cheep is a noun or verb that pertains to the sound made by small birds, especially chicks. When a chick makes a sound, it is said to "cheep."
Cheap can also imply something of inferior quality or worth. If a product breaks easily or doesn't function as expected, one might say it's "cheaply made." On the other hand, Cheep has no such connotations regarding quality; it purely denotes a specific type of bird sound.
In terms of usage, while Cheap is commonly used in everyday language, especially in contexts related to commerce or value judgments, Cheep is more specialized, mostly appearing in descriptions of nature or bird behavior. For example, hearing about a "cheap sale" is common, but "bird cheep" is a phrase more confined to specific contexts.
Lastly, it's crucial to avoid confusing these two words based on their phonetic similarity. Despite sounding alike, Cheap and Cheep have entirely different meanings and usages. One relates to cost or value, while the other is all about a particular sound in nature.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Low cost or value
Chirping sound made by small birds
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Part of Speech
Adjective (can also be an adverb)
Noun or Verb
Contextual Usage
Pertains to price, value, or quality
Describes a bird's sound
Connotation
Can imply inferiority
Neutral, specific to bird sounds
Example
"That's a cheap toy."
"The chick gave a soft cheep."
Compare with Definitions
Cheap
Costing little money or less than expected.
I bought this dress at a cheap price.
Cheep
A brief, sharp tweet or chirp.
Every morning, I hear the cheep of robins outside.
Cheap
Low in price, especially in relation to similar items or services
Local buses were reliable and cheap
Cheep
The sound made by a small bird or chick.
I heard the soft cheep of a sparrow.
Cheap
Of little worth because achieved in a discreditable way requiring little effort
Her moment of cheap triumph
Cheep
To make a short, high-pitched sound.
The baby bird cheeped for its mother.
Cheap
At or for a low price
A house that was going cheap because of the war
Cheep
A chirp or slight noise.
A faint cheep came from the nest.
Cheap
Relatively low in cost; inexpensive or comparatively inexpensive.
Cheep
To utter or express by cheeping.
The chick cheeped its hunger.
Cheap
Charging low prices
A cheap restaurant.
Cheep
A short, high squeaky cry made by a young bird.
Cheap
Obtainable at a low rate of interest. Used especially of money.
Cheep
Make a short, high squeaky sound
Sparrows are cheeping all around
Cheap
Devalued, as in buying power
Cheap dollars.
Cheep
A faint, shrill sound like that of a young bird; a chirp.
Cheap
Achieved with little effort
A cheap victory.
Cheap laughs.
Cheep
To make a faint, shrill sound or sounds; chirp.
Cheap
Of or considered of small value
In wartime, when life was cheap.
Cheep
Of a small bird, to make short, high-pitched sounds.
Cheap
Of poor quality; inferior
A cheap toy.
Cheep
To express in a chirping tone.
Cheap
Worthy of no respect; vulgar or contemptible
A cheap gangster.
Cheep
A short, high-pitched sound made by a small bird.
Cheap
Stingy; miserly.
Cheep
A similar-sounding short high-pitched sound
Cheap
Inexpensively
Got the new car cheap.
Cheep
The short, high-pitched sound made by a small bird.
Cheap
(obsolete) Trade; traffic; chaffer; chaffering.
Cheep
To chirp, as a young bird.
Cheap
(obsolete) A market; marketplace.
Cheep
To give expression to in a chirping tone.
Cheep and twitter twenty million loves.
Cheap
Price.
Cheep
A chirp, peep, or squeak, as of a young bird or mouse.
Cheap
(obsolete) A low price; a bargain.
Cheep
The short weak cry of a young bird
Cheap
Cheapness; lowness of price; abundance of supply. en
Cheep
Make high-pitched sounds; of birds
Cheap
Low and/or reduced in price.
Cheap
Of poor quality.
Cheap
Of little worth.
Cheap
Underhand or unfair.
The cheap trick of hiding deadly lava under pushable blocks
Cheap
Stingy; mean; excessively frugal.
Insurance is expensive, but don't be so cheap that you risk losing your home because of a fire.
Cheap
(finance) Trading at a price level which is low relative to historical trends, a similar asset, or (for derivatives) a theoretical value.
The ETF is trading cheap to NAV right now; we can arb this by buying the ETF and selling the underlying constituents.
Cheap
To trade; traffic; bargain; chaffer; ask the price of goods; cheapen goods.
Cheap
To bargain for; chaffer for; ask the price of; offer a price for; cheapen.
Cheap
To buy; purchase.
Cheap
To sell.
Cheap
Cheaply.
Cheap
A bargain; a purchase; cheapness.
The sack that thou hast drunk me would have bought me lights as good cheap at the dearest chandler's in Europe.
Cheap
Having a low price in market; of small cost or price, as compared with the usual price or the real value.
Where there are a great sellers to a few buyers, there the thing to be sold will be cheap.
Cheap
Of comparatively small value; common; mean.
You grow cheap in every subject's eye.
Cheap
Cheaply.
Cheap
To buy; to bargain.
Cheap
Relatively low in price or charging low prices;
It would have been cheap at twice the price
Inexpensive family restaurants
Cheap
Tastelessly showy;
A flash car
A flashy ring
Garish colors
A gaudy costume
Loud sport shirts
A meretricious yet stylish book
Tawdry ornaments
Cheap
Of very poor quality
Cheap
Embarrassingly stingy
Cheap
Of low quality; inferior.
The cheap material ripped easily.
Cheap
Achieved with little effort.
His cheap victory didn't impress anyone.
Cheap
Unworthy; petty.
It was a cheap shot to insult her that way.
Common Curiosities
Is Cheep used to describe sounds other than bird chirps?
Primarily, Cheep describes the sound of small birds, especially chicks.
What does Cheap generally refer to?
Cheap usually refers to something that costs little or is of low quality.
Can Cheap have negative connotations?
Yes, Cheap can imply something of inferior quality or worth.
Is it common to confuse Cheap and Cheep due to their sound?
While they sound similar, their meanings are distinct, so context usually clarifies the intended word.
If someone is described as Cheap, what might that imply?
It might imply that the person is stingy, miserly, or reluctant to spend money.
What is the meaning of Cheep?
Cheep is the chirping sound made by small birds or chicks.
In what context might you hear the word Cheep?
Cheep is often heard in contexts related to nature, bird behavior, or ornithology.
Can the word Cheap be used as an adverb?
Yes, Cheap can be used as an adverb, e.g., "He bought it cheap."
If a store has a sale, might they advertise Cheap prices?
Yes, a sale might be promoted with the promise of Cheap prices or discounts.
How is Cheep typically used in a sentence?
Cheep can be used as a noun ("I heard a cheep") or a verb ("The bird cheeped").
What kind of birds typically cheep?
Smaller birds, like sparrows and chicks, are often associated with the sound "cheep."
Can Cheap relate to effort as well as cost?
Yes, something achieved with little effort might be described as a "cheap win."
Does Cheep have any connotations about quality like Cheap does?
No, Cheep is neutral and specifically denotes a bird sound, with no quality implications.
In what contexts might the word Cheep be most commonly encountered?
Cheep is most commonly encountered in nature writings, ornithology, or when describing the sounds of small birds.
Can a product be both inexpensive and not Cheap in terms of quality?
Yes, something can be affordable (low in price) without being of low quality.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
