expensive

adjective

ex·pen·sive | \ ik-ˈspen(t)-siv

Definition of expensive

1 : involving high cost or sacrifice an expensive hobby

2a : 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

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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

These shifts have raised questions about how relevant expensive, occasional events are in an era when the way people shop and connect with brands has so drastically changed. — Marc Bain, Quartzy, "Do fashion weeks still have a purpose?," 7 Sep. 2019 In the world of extremely expensive, extremely fast super cars, bragging rights are key. — CBS News, "Inside the quest to build the world's fastest production car," 7 Sep. 2019 But while high-opportunity neighbourhoods are not, in fact, uniformly more expensive, most voucher recipients remain in low-opportunity neighbourhoods that tend to produce poorer outcomes for children. — The Economist, "How helping families relocate could increase economic mobility," 4 Sep. 2019 But at $160 per kilogram, zirconium is too expensive for bulk use. — Robert F. Service, Science | AAAS, "Crystalline nets harvest water from desert air, turn carbon dioxide into liquid fuel," 3 Sep. 2019 And expensive: By the end of the first quarter of 2018, the Philadelphia police department had used up all of its $57 million allotment of overtime pay for the year. — Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, "How to Spot a Serious Gun-Crime Proposal," 3 Sep. 2019 But humans proved to be clumsy, expensive, and prone to strikes. — Jesse Dunietz, Popular Mechanics, "The Hidden Science of Elevators," 2 Sep. 2019 Weekends are usually the most expensive, but visitors to the area in the middle of the week can find great deals. — Justin Franz, The Know, "Have Glacier National Park to yourself," 1 Sep. 2019 Originally, the project was to have taken place in the winter, but it was found to be too expensive to do it at that time. — Alec Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "E. coli and coliform bacteria were found in Lannon Elementary's well. Here's what the district did.," 20 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'expensive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for expensive

expensive

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of expensive

: costing a lot of money

See the full definition for expensive in the English Language Learners Dictionary

expensive

adjective

ex·pen·sive | \ ik-ˈspen-siv

Kids Definition of expensive

: costly sense 1

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expensive

Definition of expensive

Other Words from expensive

Synonyms & Antonyms for expensive

Examples of expensive in a Sentence

First Known Use of expensive

English Language Learners Definition of expensive

Kids Definition of expensive

expensive

Definition of expensive

Other Words from expensive

Synonyms & Antonyms for expensive

Examples of expensive in a Sentence

First Known Use of expensive

English Language Learners Definition of expensive

Kids Definition of expensive

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