# a dime a dozen

idiom · CEFR B2

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/a-dime-a-dozen
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

So common as to be practically or almost worthless.

## Examples

- Cheap souvenirs are a dime a dozen here.
- Online courses have become a dime a dozen, so you need to check which ones are actually good.
- In an age when opinions are a dime a dozen, she valued the few friends who spoke with genuine thought.

## Origin

19th-century American; after the dime was minted (1796), goods were commonly advertised at 'a dime a dozen', which came to mean cheap and plentiful. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.