Word
inexpensive
Phoneticsin·ex·pen·sive, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌɪnɪkˈspɛnsɪv/
UK/ˌɪnɛkspˈɛnsɪv/
Definitions
01low in price
B1 · Intermediate
adj. not costing a lot of money; affordable.
adj. costing relatively little money; providing good value for the price without necessarily implying inferior quality.
“The restaurant serves delicious and inexpensive meals for students.”
“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.
Synonyms
02not spending much
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. not spending a lot of money on things.
adj. characterised by or showing a lack of extravagance in expenditure.
“They lived an inexpensive life in a small cottage by the sea.”
“The board recommended an inexpensive approach to the marketing campaign, focusing on organic social media growth rather than costly television advertisements.”
Antonyms
Confusables
Cheap implies low quality or a lack of value, while inexpensive simply means the price is low.
RememberCheap feels flimsy; inexpensive feels like a bargain.
Etymology
From in- + expensive.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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