ENGLISH
REFERENCE

inexpensive

adj.
US //ˌɪnɪkˈspɛnsɪv// UK //ˌɪnɛkspˈɛnsɪv// in·ex·pen·sive
  1. 1 low in price (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    not costing a lot of money; affordable.

    costing relatively little money; providing good value for the price without necessarily implying inferior quality.

    Example

    The restaurant serves delicious and inexpensive meals for students.

    Example

    Finding an inexpensive apartment in the city centre has become increasingly difficult due to the recent surge in demand for short-term rentals.
    Pitfall
    The price of the car was very inexpensive.
    The car was very inexpensive.

    In English, objects are 'inexpensive', but prices are 'low'. Do not use 'inexpensive' to describe the word 'price' itself.

  2. 2 not spending much (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    not spending a lot of money on things.

    characterised by or showing a lack of extravagance in expenditure.

    Example

    They lived an inexpensive life in a small cottage by the sea.

    Example

    The board recommended an inexpensive approach to the marketing campaign, focusing on organic social media growth rather than costly television advertisements.
Origin

From in- + expensive.

© 2026 English Reference