cheap
/tʃiːp/ (bre, ipa) · [tʃˈip] /tʃiːp/ (ame, ipa) · [tʃˈip] /ˈchēp/ (ame, mw)
cheap — adjective
- cheappositive
- cheapercomparative
- cheapestsuperlative
1. Not costing a lot of money; available at a price that is lower than what people
Not costing a lot of money; available at a price that is lower than what people usually pay or expect to pay for something similar.
We found a cheap hotel near the train station that cost only forty dollars a night.
attributive: cheap + noun (hotel)
The supermarket sells cheap vegetables from local farms every Saturday morning.
attributive use describing a type of goods
Flying during winter is much cheaper than traveling in the summer holidays.
Amina bought the cheapest tickets she could find for the concert next month.
This second-hand furniture was so cheap that I bought three chairs and a table.
- inexpensive
More neutral than 'cheap'; avoids the negative suggestion of low quality
- affordable
Focuses on the buyer's ability to pay rather than absolute price level
- low-cost
Often used in business or travel contexts (low-cost airline)
用法筆記
In neutral contexts, 'inexpensive' is often preferred to avoid the negative connotation that 'cheap' can carry (see sense 6). The choice depends on whether the speaker wants to emphasise a good deal or warn about possible low quality.
常見錯誤
2. Describing a shop, restaurant, or other business that charges prices which are l
Describing a shop, restaurant, or other business that charges prices which are lower than the average for that type of establishment.
The new noodle shop beside the park is cheap and the food tastes great.
predicative: [place] + be + cheap
Tourists often look for cheap hotels located near the main train station.
attributive: cheap + place noun
That cafe is surprisingly cheap for being in such an expensive part of town.
Kenji found a cheap restaurant where a full dinner costs under ten dollars.
The cheapest supermarket in the area is the one on Miller Road near the highway.
- reasonably priced
Suggests fairness rather than just lowness of price
- budget
Used before a noun (budget hotel, budget airline); implies basic service at low cost
- low-priced
Direct and neutral; describes the price level without judgment
用法筆記
Only applies to businesses that sell goods or services directly to customers. You would not describe a wholesale supplier or a factory this way — the focus is on the end customer's experience.
常見錯誤
3. So useful, good, or enjoyable that the amount of money paid for it feels reasona
So useful, good, or enjoyable that the amount of money paid for it feels reasonable or even low — emphasising the quality relative to the cost.
For only five dollars, this lunch box is cheap at the price — it comes with rice, meat, and soup.
fixed expression: cheap at the price
A monthly bus pass is cheap when you think about how many trips you can take with it.
pattern: [something] is cheap when you think about/consider [benefit]
The annual membership fee seemed high at first, but it is cheap for the quality of the facilities.
Diego said the cooking class was cheap considering how much he learned in just two weeks.
- good value
More explicit about the quality-to-price ratio; always positive
- a bargain
Noun form; suggests the item is worth much more than the price paid
- worth the money
Direct and conversational; implies the purchase was a good decision
- overpriced
Costing more than it is worth
- a rip-off
Informal; describes something that costs far too much for its quality
用法筆記
Often used in the fixed expression 'cheap at the price' (British English) or in comparative structures that weigh cost against benefit. Unlike sense 1, this sense carries a clearly positive tone — the speaker is satisfied with the value.
常見錯誤
4. Getting or buying something while spending very little money, often by finding a
Getting or buying something while spending very little money, often by finding a special deal, buying used items, or doing the work yourself instead of paying someone else.
We decorated the whole apartment on the cheap by using furniture from garage sales.
fixed phrase: on the cheap
If you buy the parts online and build the shelf yourself, you can do it on the cheap.
Traveling on the cheap usually means staying in hostels and cooking your own food.
Fatima got the vintage lamp on the cheap at a charity shop near her office.
- on a budget
More neutral in tone; describes spending within financial limits rather than actively seeking the lowest possible cost
- economically
Formal; focuses on saving money as a principle
- for next to nothing
Informal; emphasises that the cost was extremely low
用法筆記
This sense only appears in the fixed prepositional phrase 'on the cheap,' which functions like an adverb. The phrase is informal and cannot be split — you cannot say 'on a cheap' or 'on the cheap way.'
常見錯誤
5. Used right after action words like 'buy', 'get', 'fly', or 'travel' to say that
Used right after action words like 'buy', 'get', 'fly', or 'travel' to say that someone paid very little to obtain or do something.
We bought the tickets cheap because we booked them three months before the flight.
pattern: verb + cheap (adverbial)
Elena could not believe she got such a nice winter coat cheap at the end-of-season sale.
If you fly cheap, you often have to change planes at least once during the trip.
The tour guide showed us where to eat cheap near the main square in the old city.
- cheaply
The standard adverb; more formal and can be used in more contexts
- for a low price
Full prepositional phrase; more explicit and slightly more formal
- at a discount
Specifically means below the usual marked price
- dearly
At a high cost; often used with 'pay' (paid dearly)
用法筆記
In this sense, 'cheap' functions like an adverb and always follows the verb directly without a preposition. The more formal alternative is 'cheaply' (e.g., 'We bought the tickets cheaply').
常見錯誤
6. Made with poor materials or workmanship so that the item breaks, stops working p
Made with poor materials or workmanship so that the item breaks, stops working properly, or looks unattractive — often soon after you start using it — because the manufacturer spent too little money on production.
The cheap plastic toys from the dollar store broke within a week of play.
attributive: cheap + material noun
My new boots looked nice but the cheap leather started peeling after two weeks of use.
attributive: cheap + type of material
The hotel room had cheap furniture that was already cracked and stained from years of use.
A cheap lock may save you a few dollars now, but it will not keep your bicycle safe.
Ananya returned the headphones because the cheap plastic parts broke when she adjusted them.
Benjamin bought a cheap phone charger, and it stopped charging after just three days.
The hotel's cheap towels left tiny fibres all over the guests' skin.
Constanza bought a cheap sofa, but its legs snapped the first time someone sat down.
Beatrix's cheap handbag cracked within a week because it was made of plastic.
- shoddy
Stronger negative judgment; suggests careless or poor workmanship
- flimsy
Focuses on lack of strength; easily broken or torn
- poor-quality
Direct and factual; less emotionally charged than 'shoddy'
- tawdry
Describes something that looks cheap in a flashy, tasteless way
- high-quality
Made with good materials and careful workmanship
- durable
Able to last a long time without breaking or wearing out
- sturdy
Strongly built and unlikely to break
- well-made
Describes something built to last
用法筆記
This is the most common negative meaning of "cheap". It covers the general low-price/low-quality trade-off: the manufacturer saved money, and the quality suffers as a result. An even stronger shade of disapproval focuses on workmanship so shoddy that the item breaks or fails almost immediately. Both are covered by this single sense. When you want to describe a low price without implying poor quality, use "inexpensive" instead.
常見錯誤
7. Not willing to spend money, even when it is normal or expected to do so, often c
Not willing to spend money, even when it is normal or expected to do so, often causing inconvenience or unfairness to other people — for example, never paying for a round of drinks, or avoiding essential repairs.
Eli is so cheap that he never leaves a tip at restaurants.
so + cheap + that-clause showing extreme result
Lisa's landlord was too cheap to hire a plumber, so the kitchen pipe leaked for months.
too + cheap + to-infinitive showing unwillingness
Rania called her uncle cheap for giving the children old school supplies instead of new ones.
The taxi driver was so cheap that he reused the same paper cup all week.
- stingy
Very similar, but stingy can also describe a portion or amount ('a stingy portion of chips')
- tight-fisted
More informal and vivid; suggests holding tightly onto money
- miserly
More formal and old-fashioned; suggests extreme, almost obsessive refusal to spend
- generous
Willing to give or spend freely
- open-handed
Generous in a natural, uncalculated way
文法句型
be + cheap (predicative)
cheap + person noun (attributive)
用法筆記
Strongly critical — calling someone cheap in this sense is an insult. The subject is usually a person, organisation, or entity in control of spending. Frequently used in the patterns 'be too cheap to do something' and 'be so cheap that...'.
常見錯誤
8. Describes an action, remark, or way of behaving that is unkind, dishonest, or mo
Describes an action, remark, or way of behaving that is unkind, dishonest, or morally low — the sort of thing people lose respect for you over, such as playing a mean trick on someone or saying something hurtful to gain an advantage.
Elena felt that her colleague's cheap remark about her accent crossed a line.
cheap remark — attributive use for an unkind comment
The salesman pulled a cheap trick by hiding the fees in the contract's tiny print.
cheap trick — common collocation for a dishonest act
Sofie laughed at the prank, but the others called it a cheap way to embarrass a student.
Imani said spreading rumours about a friend was a cheap thing to do.
- contemptible
More formal and severe — deserving of complete scorn
- mean
Broader — covers unkind behaviour of any kind
- despicable
Stronger moral condemnation than cheap
文法句型
cheap + noun (attributive)
be/feel + cheap (predicative about behaviour)
用法筆記
Often describes speech acts (remark, comment, joke, insult) or actions done to gain an unfair advantage (trick, tactic, shot). The 'cheap shot' idiom (an unfair criticism aimed at someone vulnerable) belongs to this sense.
常見錯誤
9. Dressed or made up in a way that is too bright, too tight, or too revealing, giv
Dressed or made up in a way that is too bright, too tight, or too revealing, giving the impression that the person is trying very obviously to be sexually attractive — often considered old-fashioned or unkind as a judgement.
Min's grandmother said the sparkly gold dress looked cheap and too daring for a wedding.
look + cheap — predicative use about clothing style
The magazine received angry letters for describing the singer's stage outfit as cheap and tasteless.
Her friends said the tight red top with the low neckline gave her a cheap look.
The fashion blogger wrote that heavy make-up and revealing clothes can look cheap.
文法句型
cheap + noun (look, dress, clothes)
look + cheap (predicative)
用法筆記
Can be offensive — calling a person's outfit 'cheap' in this sense implies a negative judgement about their character or intentions. More commonly used about clothes and make-up than about the person directly ('Her dress looked cheap' rather than 'She looked cheap'). Less frequent in modern usage; younger speakers may find it dated.
常見錯誤
cheap — adverb
1. at a low price or for less money than the usual cost — used after verbs like get
at a low price or for less money than the usual cost — used after verbs like get, buy, or find to emphasise that something was obtained at a bargain.
Pedro got his plane ticket cheap by booking three months early.
get + noun + cheap for obtaining at a bargain
The local market sells fresh fruit cheap on weekend mornings.
If you shop during the spring sale, you can buy winter coats really cheap.
Nila found a used bicycle cheap at the garage sale last Saturday.
Rooms near the university can be rented cheap during summer break.
- cheaply
the standard formal adverb; can go before or after the verb (e.g. 'cheaply furnished' vs 'furnished cheap')
- at a discount
emphasises a reduction from the normal price rather than simply a low price
- dearly
at a high cost, opposite of obtaining something for little money
文法句型
get/buy/find/rent + noun + cheap
用法筆記
Used mainly after verbs of obtaining or purchasing such as get, buy, find, and rent. The more formal equivalent is 'cheaply', which can also appear before the verb: 'She cheaply furnished her apartment.'