nickel-and-dime

1 of 2

adjective

nick·​el-and-dime ˌni-kəl-ən-ˈdīm 

1

: involving or offering only a small amount of money

2

: small-time

nickel-and-dime

2 of 2

verb

nickeled-and-dimed ˌni-kəld-ən-ˈdīmd  or nickel-and-dimed ˌni-kəl-ən-ˈdīmd  ; nickeling-and-diming ˌni-k(ə-)liŋ-ən-ˈdī-miŋ  or nickel-and-diming ˌni-kəl-ən-ˈdī-miŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to impair, weaken, or defeat piecemeal (as through a series of small incursions or excessive attention to minor details)

2

: to treat (a person or situation) by paying excessive attention to small amounts of money often with a detrimental effect

Examples of nickel-and-dime in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

That’s caused the run game to fade and forced Patrick Mahomes to lean more into a nickel-and-dime approach. —Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025

Trying to nickel-and-dime such an important player could have done more harm than good. —Darnell Mayberry, The Athletic, 1 Aug. 2024

Southwest Airlines, which set itself apart from its nickel-and-dime competitors, will soon scrap its open-seat policy and charge folks for more legroom. —Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 26 July 2024

Love or hate Apple, the company’s nickel-and-dime approach to cables, dongles, and chargers primed people to believe reports like this. —Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 14 Sep. 2023

Finally, though, the Bengals didn’t nickel-and-dime a deal to death. —Jason Williams, The Enquirer, 8 Sep. 2023

Doyel:Pacers won't get off mediocrity treadmill with nickel-and-dime moves from NBA Draft Nate Laszewski, Notre Dame Basketball fans in the state of Indiana should be familiar with Nate Laszewski of Notre Dame. —Indystar Sports, The Indianapolis Star, 23 June 2023

This hasn’t even touched on other ways Disneyland can nickel-and-dime guests. —Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2023

The break-in at a Philadelphia parking lot wasn’t a nickel-and-dime case. —Phil Helsel, NBC News, 14 Apr. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1879, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1913, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nickel-and-dime

• seriatim
• abeam
• airstream
• bloodstream
• daydream
• downstream
• esteem
• extreme
• grapheme
• hakim
• hornbeam
• lexeme