expensive

adjective

ex·​pen·​sive ik-ˈspen(t)-siv How to pronounce expensive (audio)
1
: involving high cost or sacrifice
an expensive hobby
2
a
: commanding a high price and especially one that is not based on intrinsic worth or is beyond a prospective buyer's means
b
: characterized by high prices
expensive shops
expensively adverb
expensiveness noun

Examples of expensive in a Sentence

The lights were expensive to install. expensive clothing that only the truly wealthy can afford
Recent Examples on the Web In every imaginable circumstance, selling a house with a historically low mortgage rate and buying a more expensive house at a much higher mortgage rate is going to be a bad deal. The Editors, National Review, 25 Mar. 2024 Best Last-Minute Tech Deals Major savings events like Amazon's Big Spring Sale are filled with under-the-radar deals on expensive tech like the Apple AirPods Pro Headphones or an Apple iPad. Alexandra Domrongchai, Travel + Leisure, 25 Mar. 2024 Tampons and pads are expensive and hard to find, and there is nowhere to dispose of them. Qadri Inzamam Saumya Khandelwal, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2024 That’s a pretty damning insight into the electric car market across America, and could explain why a company such as Ford is reportedly changing its tact and switching from big, expensive EVs to smaller, cheaper models. Owen Bellwood / Jalopnik, Quartz, 24 Mar. 2024 Because capers are expensive — and not exactly a staple of the American refrigerator, although sales are rising, according to Mezzetta — food companies opt for smaller jars to keep down the per-unit cost for consumers. Allison Morrow, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024 The reason is because venom is very energetically expensive for rattlesnakes to make. The Arizona Republic, 23 Mar. 2024 Commission rates can be particularly sour for buyers and sellers of expensive properties. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2024 Rather than attempting an expensive and prolonged campaign aimed at local, state, and national legislators and courts, Uber chose to enter the market and deal with the consequences later. Kyle H. Sheetz and Robert M. Wachter, STAT, 22 Mar. 2024

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

circa 1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of expensive was circa 1610

Dictionary Entries Near expensive

Cite this Entry

“Expensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expensive. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

expensive

adjective
ex·​pen·​sive ik-ˈspen(t)-siv How to pronounce expensive (audio)
1
: costly sense 2
an expensive hobby
2
a
: having a high price
expensive gifts
b
: marked by high prices
expensive shops
expensively adverb
expensiveness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on expensive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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