cheap
/tʃiːp/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
- 1.
Something that is cheap costs less money than most similar things. It can also mean something is low in quality because it costs very little.
- This shop sells cheap clothes.
- We found a cheap hotel near the station.
- The phone was cheap, but it works well.
- 2.
If a person or action is cheap, it seems mean, unfair, or not generous. This use is often about behaviour, not price.
- That was a cheap joke.
- Calling her names was a cheap move.
- He made a cheap comment about my work.
Adinary Nuance
Cheap is close to "inexpensive" and "low-cost", but it is less formal. It can sound negative, because it may suggest poor quality. For people or behaviour, cheap often means mean or unfair, while "inexpensive" does not.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- rẻ
- Spanish
- barato
- Chinese
- 便宜
- Japanese
- 安い
- Korean
- 싼
Etymology
Cheap comes from Old English ceap, meaning 'trade' or 'bargain'. The word later shifted to mean 'low in price'.
Common phrases
cheap pricecheap and cheerfullook cheapcheap shot
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is cheap a polite word?
- Usually yes for prices, but it can sound negative. For things, "affordable" often sounds more positive.
- What is the difference between cheap and inexpensive?
- Cheap is more common in speech and can sound negative. Inexpensive sounds more neutral and polite.
- Can cheap describe a person?
- Yes, but it usually means stingy or unfair. It is not a kind word.
- Is cheap used in business writing?
- Yes, but writers often prefer "low-cost" or "affordable" in formal business English.