at a premium

idiom

1

: for a high price

Land in the county is selling at a premium.

Rooms with a view are available, but they come at a premium.

2

: difficult to get because there is little available

We bought bunk beds because space in the apartment is at a premium.

Examples of at a premium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Now, players like Evan McPherson and Jake Moody were drafted at a premium in earlier rounds as opposed to the usual sixth and seventh-round selections of years past. —Tyler Small, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025

In a society where everything has to be monetized and attention is at a premium, scaring someone will get their attention. —Sandy Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025

Andy Reid isn’t going to change his grinding approach, putting points at a premium. —Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 3 Jan. 2025

Implement a removable over-the-sink dish rack Counter space is always at a premium, but there’s an easy fix: Get a dish rack that fits over the sink. —Bridget Reed Morawski, Architectural Digest, 3 Jan. 2025