inexpensive

/ˌɪnɪkˈspensɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪnɪkˈspensɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌi-nik-ˈspen(t)-siv/ (ame, mw)

inexpensive — adjective

  • inexpensivepositive
  • more inexpensivecomparative
  • most inexpensivesuperlative

1. costing only a small amount of money — less than what you might expect for that

1.形容詞B1
釋義

costing only a small amount of money — less than what you might expect for that type of thing.

例句

The lunch menu at the new café near the park is surprisingly inexpensive.

collocation: surprisingly inexpensive

Priya found an inexpensive jacket at the weekend market.

collocation: inexpensive + clothing item

同義詞
  • cheap

    same basic meaning but less formal; can suggest low quality or poor craftsmanship

  • affordable

    focuses on being within someone's budget rather than just low-priced

  • reasonable

    suggests the price is fair for what you receive, not necessarily the cheapest

  • low-cost

    more formal; often used for services or products as a category

反義詞
  • expensive

    costing a lot of money

  • costly

    suggests a high price plus extra effort or disadvantage

用法筆記

More positive than 'cheap' — 'inexpensive' suggests good value for the price, while 'cheap' can imply poor quality. 'Cheaper' is preferred over 'more inexpensive' in comparative forms.

常見錯誤

❌I bought a cheap watch that broke the next day.' (when meaning good value)
✅I bought an inexpensive watch that still works well.
💡'cheap' can suggest low quality; 'inexpensive' simply means the price is low.
❌This hotel is more inexpensive than that one.
✅This hotel is cheaper than that one.
💡in everyday English, 'cheaper' sounds more natural than 'more inexpensive.'