on the cheap

idiomatic phrase

: at minimum expense : cheaply
did the job on the cheap

Examples of on the cheap in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Google managed it on the cheap, which is how the founders and early investors made so much money. Rich Karlgaard, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025 The development ignited fears that competitive AI models could be built on the cheap and with less-powerful chips . Brian Evans, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2025 But around 2016, as Mood Machine details, Spotify developed the Perfect Fit Content initiative, partnering with licensing companies that paid studio pros to bang out easy-listening ditties for the streamer—in essence, replicating popular playlist sounds on the cheap. Brad Shoup, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2025 The sell-off in Regeneron Pharmaceuticals presents an opportunity for investors to buy the stock on the cheap, according to Leerink Partners. Hakyung Kim, CNBC, 5 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for on the cheap

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of on the cheap was in 1859

Cite this Entry

“On the cheap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20cheap. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.

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