cheapen

verb

cheap·​en ˈchē-pən How to pronounce cheapen (audio)
cheapened; cheapening ˈchēp-niŋ How to pronounce cheapen (audio)
ˈchē-pə-

transitive verb

1
[obsolete English cheap to price, bid for] archaic
a
: to ask the price of
b
: to bid or bargain for
2
a
: to make cheap in price or value
b
: to lower in general esteem
c
: to make tawdry, vulgar, or inferior

intransitive verb

: to become cheap

Examples of cheapen in a Sentence

products cheapened by sloppy workmanship Using the national flag in advertising only cheapens it. Poor marketing can cheapen a brand name. I thought that the show cheapened the lives of the people it portrayed. The wedding ceremony was cheapened by the best man's tasteless jokes.
Recent Examples on the Web We are confronted by a nihilist culture seemingly bent on a suicidal course, where reason no longer counts for anything, where life itself has been cheapened, where even (or perhaps because) human identity is obscured and confused. Robert Sirico, National Review, 24 June 2024 Meanwhile, the entire concept of stardom was being cheapened by nobodies from TikTok and reality TV. Vulture Editors, Vulture, 23 May 2024 Those who equate the IDF’s tactics in Palestine to the Holocaust cheapen the term. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2024 As in, the popularization of graduation ceremonies for almost grade level has cheapened the commencement ceremony experience. Sherry Kuehl, Kansas City Star, 22 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for cheapen 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cheapen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cheapen was in 1562

Dictionary Entries Near cheapen

Cite this Entry

“Cheapen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cheapen. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.

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