expensive

[ik-spen-siv] / ɪkˈspɛn sɪv /

ADJECTIVE

high-priced

Synonyms

STRONGEST

costly extravagant fancy high lavish overpriced pricey upscale valuable

WEAK

an arm and a leg at a premium big-ticket dear excessive exorbitant highway robbery holdup immoderate inordinate invaluable out of sight plush posh pretty penny rich ritzy sky-high steep stiff swank too high uneconomical unreasonable

Antonyms

STRONGEST

economical reasonable unimportant worthless

WEAK

cheap inexpensive low-priced moderate

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.

While many ER visits for dizziness result in expensive CT scans and sedatives, researchers are finding there are more-effective options.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

It was expensive, but worth every penny — a beautiful, abstract rendering of the film’s themes, displayed in a bewitching graphic style I couldn’t get out of my mind after coveting the poster online.

From Salon • Apr. 17, 2026

It’s more expensive for women due to their longer life expectancy: $524 for a 65-year-old single woman versus $966 for a 75-year-old woman.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026

"It's all tied together as one big, expensive, and very complex unit, which is vital for National Security and Military Operations of the United States of America!"

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

This meant it was a cheap ticket but still close enough to the router for her to steal the free Wi-Fi that came with expensive fares.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

Vocabulary lists containing expensive

List 1

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