inexpensive

inexpensive — adjective

1. costing only a small amount of money — less than what you might expect for that

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

costing only a small amount of money — less than what you might expect for that type of thing.

Example

The lunch menu at the new café near the park is surprisingly inexpensive.

collocation: surprisingly inexpensive

Priya found an inexpensive jacket at the weekend market.

collocation: inexpensive + clothing item

Common collocations
  • inexpensive hotel
  • inexpensive meal
  • inexpensive option
  • inexpensive alternative
  • relatively inexpensive
  • surprisingly inexpensive
Synonyms
  • cheap

    same basic meaning but less formal; can suggest low quality or poor craftsmanship

  • affordable

    focuses on being within someone's budget rather than just low-priced

  • reasonable

    suggests the price is fair for what you receive, not necessarily the cheapest

  • low-cost

    more formal; often used for services or products as a category

Antonyms
  • expensive

    costing a lot of money

  • costly

    suggests a high price plus extra effort or disadvantage

Usage Note

More positive than 'cheap' — 'inexpensive' suggests good value for the price, while 'cheap' can imply poor quality. 'Cheaper' is preferred over 'more inexpensive' in comparative forms.

Common Mistakes

I bought a cheap watch that broke the next day.' (when meaning good value)
I bought an inexpensive watch that still works well.
'cheap' can suggest low quality; 'inexpensive' simply means the price is low.
This hotel is more inexpensive than that one.
This hotel is cheaper than that one.
in everyday English, 'cheaper' sounds more natural than 'more inexpensive.'

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Inexpensive, cheap, affordable, and reasonable all describe low prices, but they carry different tones. 'Inexpensive' is neutral and positive — it highlights good value without suggesting anything wrong with the item. 'Cheap' is more common in everyday speech, especially in comparative forms ('cheaper', 'cheapest'), but it often implies low quality or poor workmanship ('a cheap toy that broke after one use'). 'Affordable' connects the price to the buyer's budget ('rent that is affordable for students'), so something can be not cheap yet still affordable. 'Reasonable' suggests the price is fair given what you receive ('a reasonable fee for the service'). Choose 'inexpensive' when you want to praise a low price without risking the negative overtones of 'cheap.'

inexpensive ↗cheap ↗affordable ↗reasonable ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • inexpensive way to
  • at an inexpensive price
  • inexpensive compared to

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed by adding the prefix 'in-' (meaning 'not') to 'expensive.' The word 'expensive' comes from Latin 'expendere' — 'ex-' (out) plus 'pendere' (to weigh out, pay). Literally: 'not costing a lot to pay out.' The word entered English in the early 1600s, first used to mean 'not lavish in cost.'