English Reference
Adjective

pricey

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈpɹaɪsi/ UK /pɹˈaɪsi/ pricey

adj.expensive or costing a lot of money. You use this word when you think the price of something is a bit high.

adj.costing a high price; expensive. Often used to express a mild negative judgment about the cost of consumer goods or services.


SIMPLE

The hotel was a bit pricey, but the view was amazing.

CONTEXTUAL

Eating out in the city center can get pricey if you don't check the menu prices beforehand.

COMPLEX

While the initial investment in high-quality solar panels may seem pricey, the long-term savings on utility bills usually justify the upfront expenditure.

Usage

Often modified by degree adverbs like 'a bit', 'rather', or 'quite'.


From price + -y.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated