bargain-basement

1 of 2

adjective

bar·​gain-base·​ment ˈbär-gən-ˈbās-mənt How to pronounce bargain-basement (audio)
1
: of inferior quality or worth
2
: markedly inexpensive
bargain-basement rates

bargain basement

2 of 2

noun

: a section of a store (such as the basement) where merchandise is sold at reduced prices

Examples of bargain-basement in a Sentence

Adjective throughout the trip we ate at bargain-basement restaurants in order to save money bargain-basement shoes that fell apart after a week
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
In essence, SpaceX has effectively appropriated the Long Beach Naval Complex—and all the infrastructure investment the U.S. government made in the facility—for a bargain-basement cost. Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025 Wasson's shoppers were typically middle class, while Goldblatt's was known as a bargain-basement department store, and Indianapolis shoppers noticed the lack of quality merchandise. Indianapolis Star, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Noun
Amazon's annual mega sale brings bargain basement prices on everything from electronics, clothes, office supplies and more to a computer screen near you. Shelby Slade, AZCentral.com, 6 July 2025 Lululemon is suing Costco for manufacturing and selling clothing that looks like their own high-end athleisure at bargain basement prices. Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for bargain-basement

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1899, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bargain-basement was in 1899

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Cite this Entry

“Bargain-basement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bargain-basement. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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