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View synonyms for pricey

pricey

or pric·y

[ prahy-see ]

adjective

, pric·i·er, pric·i·est.
  1. expensive or unduly expensive:

    a pricey wine.



pricey

/ ˈpraɪsɪ /

adjective

  1. an informal word for expensive
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Words From

  • prici·ly adverb
  • pricey·ness noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of pricey1

First recorded in 1930–35; price + -y 1
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Example Sentences

In a place where food can be pricey, it’s a budget-conscious salve to a grumbling stomach and a quick stop-off in between a busy sightseeing itinerary.

From Salon

The multinational grocery store — which infamously snagged the nickname “whole paycheck” due to its pricey food items — reportedly reduced prices on 25% of its items, including 880 products under its private label 365.

From Salon

If that threshold is reached, diners may treat coffee more like a pricey menu item — think cold-pressed juice — and less like the water we get when we first sit down.

In addition to the pricey default settlement, Anzalone also set aside a temporary restraining order that Cardello-Smith had requested in August against the embattled entrepreneur.

She knows from her retail days, she said, that the kids who started back to school in recent weeks were wearing some pretty pricey outfits.

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More About Pricey

What does pricey mean?

Pricey describes something that is expensive or unreasonably expensive, as in Talya wanted to go on the world cruise, but the tickets were so pricey. 

Pricey is a highly subjective description, because everyone’s budget is different and everyone’s opinion about what an acceptable price is for a product or service varies. You’ll use pricey most often when you think the cost of something is much higher than you want to pay, whether or not a majority of people think that same item is pricey.

You might also use pricey to describe something that is more expensive than others like it but that provides a higher value or quality in return. In this case, pricey would be an acceptable quality.

Example: The hotel was a bit pricey, but we had a good time.

Where does pricey come from?

The first records of the term pricey are from around the 1930s. It combines the term price, meaning “the amount something is bought for,” and the suffix -y, which creates adjectives meaning “characterized by or inclined to.”

Pricey is always used informally but is sometimes used in reviews or journalism. When critics review a place or product, they may consider the cost of the item as part of the review and may use pricey to describe something they think is overpriced. Pricey is also frequently used to describe neighborhoods and cities that have an above-average property value or rental cost.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to pricey?

  • pricier (adjective)
  • priciest (adjective)
  • pricily (adverb)
  • priceyness (noun)

What are some synonyms for pricey?

What are some words that share a root or word element with pricey

What are some words that often get used in discussing pricey?

How is pricey used in real life?

Pricey is most frequently used as a negative feature.

 

 

Try using pricey!

Which of the following is NOT a synonym for pricey?

A. expensive
B. exorbitant
C. budgeted
D. costly

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price warPrichard