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a la carte

[ah luh kahrt, al-uh, a la kart] / ˌɑ lə ˈkɑrt, ˌæl ə, a la ˈkart /
ADJECTIVE
having menu items priced separately
Synonyms


ADVERB
having menu items priced separately
Synonyms


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

If a specific low-value item is what you actually want, experts suggest ordering it a la carte and reserving your “endless” capacity for the more expensive stuff.

From MarketWatch May 14, 2026

In these fast-moving, unpredictable times, Europe's leaders are increasingly turning to a la carte coalitions, alongside traditional organisations like Nato or the EU, which are larger and therefore often slower to react.

From BBC Feb. 16, 2026

Spotify began selling audiobooks on an a la carte basis to U.S. users in September 2022; the following year it made 15 hours of audiobook listening available to premium subscribers in select countries every month.

From The Wall Street Journal Feb. 5, 2026

The San Francisco company now offers a la carte shopping—a departure from its traditional, stylist-curated subscription-box service—and gives customers more options on the number of items that are in a box, as examples.

From The Wall Street Journal Oct. 22, 2025

The bill was a la carte and contained such items as grizzly steak, antelope, elk, and wild duck and goose.

From Gold by White, Stewart Edward




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