expensive
adjective
ex·pen·sive
ik-ˈspen(t)-siv 
1
: involving high cost or sacrifice
an expensive hobby
2
a
: commanding a high price and especially one that is not based on intrinsic worth or is beyond a prospective buyer's means
b
: characterized by high prices
expensive shops
expensively
adverb
expensiveness
noun
Examples of expensive in a Sentence
The lights were expensive to install.
expensive clothing that only the truly wealthy can afford
Recent Examples on the Web
In the wake of the record-breaking wildfires in Los Angeles in January—some of the most expensive and destructive blazes in history—one of the first things California governor Gavin Newsom did was to sign an executive order suspending environmental rules around rebuilding.
—
Umair Irfan, Wired News, 19 July 2025
But training those drivers is expensive, Merrifield said, so colleges can’t necessarily afford to enroll more students.
—Natalie Yahr, jsonline.com, 19 July 2025
Without a clear objective, AI projects risk becoming expensive experiments with little impact.
—Motasem El Bawab, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025
The honey is pure and organic and is the most expensive ingredient in HNY+’s product.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for expensive
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Umair Irfan, Wired News, 19 July 2025
But training those drivers is expensive, Merrifield said, so colleges can’t necessarily afford to enroll more students.
—Natalie Yahr, jsonline.com, 19 July 2025
Without a clear objective, AI projects risk becoming expensive experiments with little impact.
—Motasem El Bawab, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025
The honey is pure and organic and is the most expensive ingredient in HNY+’s product.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for expensive
Cite this Entry
“Expensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expensive. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
expensive
adjective
ex·pen·sive
ik-ˈspen(t)-siv
1
: costly sense 2
an expensive hobby
2
a
: having a high price
expensive gifts
b
: marked by high prices
expensive shops
expensively
adverb
expensiveness
noun
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