Cheap Definition and Meaning
By Tayyaba Rehman & Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 5, 2024
Cheap refers to something low in cost or price, often implying lower quality or value. e.g., She found a cheap pair of shoes on sale.
Table of Contents
Cheap Definitions
Inexpensive due to being of low quality.
The cheap toy broke the same day it was bought.
Achieved with little effort or expenditure.
The company used cheap marketing tactics.
Relatively low in cost; inexpensive or comparatively inexpensive.
Charging low prices
A cheap restaurant.
Obtainable at a low rate of interest. Used especially of money.
Devalued, as in buying power
Cheap dollars.
Achieved with little effort
A cheap victory.
Cheap laughs.
Of or considered of small value
In wartime, when life was cheap.
Of poor quality; inferior
A cheap toy.
Worthy of no respect; vulgar or contemptible
A cheap gangster.
Stingy; miserly.
Inexpensively
Got the new car cheap.
(obsolete) Trade; traffic; chaffer; chaffering.
(obsolete) A market; marketplace.
Price.
(obsolete) A low price; a bargain.
Cheapness; lowness of price; abundance of supply. en
Low and/or reduced in price.
Of poor quality.
Of little worth.
Underhand or unfair.
The cheap trick of hiding deadly lava under pushable blocks
Stingy; mean; excessively frugal.
Insurance is expensive, but don't be so cheap that you risk losing your home because of a fire.
(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.
To trade; traffic; bargain; chaffer; ask the price of goods; cheapen goods.
To bargain for; chaffer for; ask the price of; offer a price for; cheapen.
To buy; purchase.
To sell.
Cheaply.
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.
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.
Of comparatively small value; common; mean.
You grow cheap in every subject's eye.
Cheaply.
To buy; to bargain.
Relatively low in price or charging low prices;
It would have been cheap at twice the price
Inexpensive family restaurants
Tastelessly showy;
A flash car
A flashy ring
Garish colors
A gaudy costume
Loud sport shirts
A meretricious yet stylish book
Tawdry ornaments
Of very poor quality
Embarrassingly stingy
Low in price; not expensive.
The meal was surprisingly cheap for such a fancy restaurant.
Costing little money or less than usual.
They bought a cheap car to save money.
Offering poor value in exchange for the price paid.
The hotel room was cheap but uncomfortable.
Disparaging term for something of low quality.
The fabric felt cheap and scratchy.
Economical; providing good value for the cost.
They found a cheap solution to fix the problem.
Of little worth or significance; trivial.
The prize was a cheap plastic trophy.
Unfairly or dishonestly obtained; of low moral value.
It was a cheap win, achieved by breaking the rules.
Slang for miserly or stingy behavior.
Don't be so cheap, share your snacks!
Cheap Snonyms
Low-cost
Involving a relatively small amount of money.
Low-cost airlines have made travel more accessible to everyone.
Economical
Giving good value or service in relation to the amount of money, time, or effort spent.
The car is economical to run, requiring very little fuel.
Budget-friendly
Not expensive; able to be purchased without exceeding one's budget.
The store offers a range of budget-friendly options for kitchen appliances.
Value
The importance, worth, or usefulness of something, particularly in terms of reasonable pricing.
The store is known for offering good value for money.
Inexpensive
Not costing a lot of money.
We found an inexpensive solution to our decorating dilemma.
Affordable
Reasonably priced; not too expensive.
They were looking for an affordable place to live.
Discounted
Reduced in price.
She always buys discounted goods to save money.
Bargain
Something on sale at a lower price than its true value.
This coat was a real bargain at half price.
Thrift
The quality of using money and other resources carefully and not wastefully; items bought this way can be described as cheap.
Shopping at thrift stores is a great way to find cheap treasures.
Cost-effective
Economical in terms of the goods or services received for the money spent.
Using LED lights is a cost-effective way to reduce electricity bills.
Cheap Idioms & Phrases
Cheap shot
An unfair or unsporting remark or action, often intended to hurt.
The comment about his background was a cheap shot.
Cheap as chips
Very inexpensive or affordable.
The clothes at that market are cheap as chips.
Go cheap
To be sold for a low price.
After the holidays, all the decorations go cheap.
Talk is cheap
It's easier to say you will do something than to actually do it.
He promises a lot, but talk is cheap.
Cheap thrill
A short-lived and often superficial form of enjoyment.
Watching horror movies is a kind of cheap thrill for them.
Feel cheap
To feel ashamed or degraded.
After lying to her friend, she felt cheap.
Cheap trick
A deceitful or dishonest maneuver.
Pretending to be sick was a cheap trick to avoid going to school.
Buy cheap, buy twice
Buying low-quality items often leads to the need for replacement and more expense.
I bought a cheap blender, but it broke quickly. It's true what they say, buy cheap, buy twice.
Cheap date
A person who doesn't require much expenditure to be entertained.
I'm a cheap date; a movie at home is fine by me.
Dirt cheap
Extremely inexpensive.
I found these shoes for a price that was dirt cheap.
Cheap imitation
A low-quality copy of something.
The purse she bought was just a cheap imitation of a designer brand.
Cheap labor
Workforce available for very low wages.
The company was accused of exploiting cheap labor.
Cheap and cheerful
Inexpensive but good or enjoyable.
The restaurant we went to was cheap and cheerful.
Look cheap
To appear low in quality or value.
The dress was nice, but the plastic accessories made it look cheap.
Cheap laugh
A laugh earned by using low-quality or crude humor.
The comedian resorted to bathroom humor for a cheap laugh.
On the cheap
Inexpensively or cheaply.
They renovated their house on the cheap.
Cheap knock-off
An imitation of something that is of lower quality and price.
The street vendors were selling cheap knock-offs of famous brands.
Cheap seats
Seats in a theater, stadium, or other venues that are the least expensive.
We could only afford the cheap seats at the concert, but we still had a great view.
Cheap Example Sentences
She was always looking for cheap deals online.
They found cheap flights for their vacation.
The store sold cheap clothes that were still stylish.
The cheap plastic chairs didn't last long.
He was known for buying cheap gifts.
The cheap paint peeled off the walls quickly.
The cheap knockoff couldn't compare to the original.
The book was cheap, but it was a great read.
The cheap tickets made the concert even more enjoyable.
They were happy to find cheap accommodation for the night.
The cheap materials used in construction caused problems later.
They rented a cheap apartment when they first moved.
They offered to do the job for a cheap price.
She made a cheap joke that no one laughed at.
The cheap candy tasted surprisingly good.
Common Curiosities
How do we divide cheap into syllables?
Since "cheap" has only one syllable, it is not divided.
How is cheap used in a sentence?
Example: "He bought a cheap watch from the flea market."
How many syllables are in cheap?
There is one syllable in "cheap."
What is a stressed syllable in cheap?
The entire word "cheap" is stressed, as it is a single syllable.
What is the singular form of cheap?
"Cheap" does not change form between singular and plural as it is an adjective.
What is the pronunciation of cheap?
Cheap is pronounced as /tʃiːp/.
Why is it called cheap?
"Cheap" comes from the Old English "ceap," originally meaning a purchase or bargain, which evolved to describe something low in price or requiring minimal effort.
What is the root word of cheap?
The root word of "cheap" is the Old English "ceap."
Is cheap an adverb?
No, "cheap" is not an adverb.
What is the plural form of cheap?
"Cheap" remains the same in plural usage.
Is cheap a negative or positive word?
"Cheap" can have a negative connotation (implying poor quality) or a positive one (implying affordability), depending on the context.
Is the word cheap imperative?
As an adjective, "cheap" is not used in the imperative form.
Which vowel is used before cheap?
The vowel used before "cheap" depends on the context of the sentence.
What is the verb form of cheap?
"Cheap" is primarily an adjective; it does not have a standard verb form.
Is cheap a noun or adjective?
"Cheap" is an adjective.
Is cheap an abstract noun?
"Cheap" is an adjective, not a noun.
Is the cheap term a metaphor?
"Cheap" can be used metaphorically to describe non-material concepts, like "cheap shot."
What part of speech is cheap?
"Cheap" is an adjective.
What is another term for cheap?
Another term for "cheap" is "inexpensive" or "low-cost."
Is the word cheap Gerund?
"Cheap" is not a verb, so it does not have a gerund form.
Which preposition is used with cheap?
Common prepositions used with "cheap" include "for" and "at."
Which article is used with cheap?
Articles such as "the," "a," or "an" can be used with "cheap," depending on the context.
What is the opposite of cheap?
The opposite of "cheap" is "expensive" or "costly."
Which determiner is used with cheap?
Determiners like "the," "a," or "this" can be used with "cheap."
Which conjunction is used with cheap?
Conjunctions like "and," "but," or "or" can be used with "cheap," depending on the sentence.
Is cheap a vowel or consonant?
The word "cheap" starts with a consonant.
Is cheap a countable noun?
"Cheap" is not a noun; it's an adjective.
Is cheap a collective noun?
"Cheap" is not a noun, so it cannot be a collective noun.
Is the word “cheap” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
"Cheap" is an adjective and therefore cannot be a direct or indirect object.
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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.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
