cheap

I

(Roget's IV) modif.

1. [Low in relative price]

Syn. inexpensive, low-priced, reasonable, economical, affordable, moderate, family-size, economy-size, economy, budget, utility (grade), reduced, marked down, discounted, depreciated, slashed, standard, modest, cut-rate, on sale, competitive, thrifty, bargain, bargain-priced, sale-priced, irregular, cut-price, low-cost, at a bargain, half-price, popular-priced, worth the money, rock-bottom, second, dime-a-dozen*, dirt-cheap*, costing peanuts*, for a song*, bargain-basement*; see also economical 2 .

Ant. expensive*, dear, costly.

2. [Low in quality]

Syn. inferior, shoddy, poorly made, sleazy*; see common 1 , poor 2 .

3. [Dishonest or base]

Syn. dirty, tawdry, low, contemptible; see dishonest 2 .

4. [Stingy*]

Syn. miserly, penurious, tight*; see stingy .

Syn.- cheap and inexpensive both mean low in cost or price, but inexpensive simply suggests value comparable to the price, and cheap , in this sense, stresses a bargain; cheap may also imply inferior quality or value, tawdriness, contemptibility, etc. [cheap Jewelry, to feel cheap]

II

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) a.

1. low-priced inexpensive, bargain-priced, reasonable, marked-down, cut-rate, economical, *rock-bottom, *dirt-cheap, dime-a-dozen.

2. poor quality worthless, inferior, shoddy, *chintzy, *cheesy, tacky, *two-bit, *crappy, *schlock, shabby, common.

3. stingy tight, penny-pinching, miserly, niggardly, stinting, grudging.

4. contemptible despicable, low, sordid, vulgar, base.

ANT.: 1. expensive, priceless, steep, exorbitant 2. superior, select, sterling quality. 3. generous, giving. 4. admirable, noble

III

(Roget's Thesaurus II) adjective 1. Low in price: inexpensive, low, low-cost, low-priced. See MONEY, VALUE. 2. Of decidedly inferior quality: base2, lousy, miserable, paltry, poor, rotten, shoddy, sleazy, trashy. Informal: cheesy. Slang: crummy, schlocky. See GOOD. 3. Ungenerously or pettily reluctant to spend money: close, close-fisted, costive, hard-fisted, mean2, miserly, niggard, niggardly, parsimonious, penny-pinching, penurious, petty, pinching, stingy, tight, tightfisted. See GIVE.