expensive
adjective
ex·pen·sive
ik-ˈspen(t)-siv 
1
: involving high cost or sacrifice
an expensive hobby
2
a
: commanding a high price and especially one that is not based on intrinsic worth or is beyond a prospective buyer's means
b
: characterized by high prices
expensive shops
expensively
adverb
expensiveness
noun
Examples of expensive in a Sentence
The lights were expensive to install.
expensive clothing that only the truly wealthy can afford
Recent Examples on the Web
Your daily cup of joe could get even more expensive under new U.S. tariffs on dozens of countries around the world.
—
Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2025
Vaccines are among the most successful tools in public health’s arsenal, preventing debilitating illnesses and lowering the need for expensive medical care.
—Devi Shastri, Chicago Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
The most expensive fuel could be found in Mono County, where regular gas cost $5.85 per gallon on average as of Friday.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Some 80 percent of them said product quality is the most important consideration when selecting a retailer, and 92 percent believe clothes don’t have to be expensive to offer them long-lasting value.
—Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 13 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expensive
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Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2025
Vaccines are among the most successful tools in public health’s arsenal, preventing debilitating illnesses and lowering the need for expensive medical care.
—Devi Shastri, Chicago Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
The most expensive fuel could be found in Mono County, where regular gas cost $5.85 per gallon on average as of Friday.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Some 80 percent of them said product quality is the most important consideration when selecting a retailer, and 92 percent believe clothes don’t have to be expensive to offer them long-lasting value.
—Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 13 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expensive
Cite this Entry
“Expensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expensive. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
expensive
adjective
ex·pen·sive
ik-ˈspen(t)-siv
1
: costly sense 2
an expensive hobby
2
a
: having a high price
expensive gifts
b
: marked by high prices
expensive shops
expensively
adverb
expensiveness
noun
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