bargain-basement

1 of 2

adjective

bar·​gain-base·​ment ˈbär-gən-ˈbās-mənt 

1

: of inferior quality or worth

2

: markedly inexpensive

bargain-basement rates

bargain basement

2 of 2

noun

: a section of a store (such as the basement) where merchandise is sold at reduced prices

Synonyms

Adjective

• affordable
• budget
• cheap
• cheapie
• cheapo
• chintzy
• cut-price [chiefly British]
• cut-rate
• dime-store
• dirt cheap
• el cheapo
• inexpensive
• low
• low-end
• popular
• reasonable

Examples of bargain-basement in a Sentence

Adjective

throughout the trip we ate at bargain-basement restaurants in order to save money

bargain-basement shoes that fell apart after a week

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

After Disney+ launched in 2019 at a bargain-basement price, the company put its efforts into producing dozens of shows specifically for the streamer, in an attempt to build subscriber interest and loyalty. —Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2024

Yet precisely because of the genre’s typically bargain-basement production costs, its ultrazealous fandom, and a powerful word-of-mouth pass-along arguably unmatched throughout cinema, horror can seem at risk of becoming a victim of its own success. —Chris Lee, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024

Noun

And price points that vary from almost bargain basement to absolutely blow the budget—and then some. —Duncan Madden, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024

The show will feature more than 140 award-winning quilts, along with a gift shop for early Christmas shoppers, a bargain basement and vendors. —Orlando Sentinel Staff, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1899, in the meaning defined above