Meanings
plural cheapnesses
- uncountableusuallyThe state or character trait of being cheap (stingy).
His cheapness was legendary; he refused to use candles or lamps, not to reduce the risk of fire but rather to save a penny.
3 more examples
Her mother, in 1684, retiring with'her daughter, for cheapness, to some place in Surrey, (she does not tell us where,) became acquainted with Dr. Glisson […]
1800, Edmond Malone, The Critical and Miscellaneous Prose Works of John DrydenMrs. Jallatt didn't study cheapness, but somehow she generally attained it.
1910, Saki [pseudonym; Hector Hugh Munro], “The Strategist”, in Reginald in Russia and Other Sketches, London: Methuen & Co. […], →OCLC, page 85He was also interested in the cost of book production, as can be seen in his article on the cheapness of papyrus as a writing material.
2004, James Keith Elliott, The Collected Biblical Writings of T.C. SkeatSynonyms: frugality, meanness, miserliness, niggardliness, parsimony, stinginess, thriftiness, tightness
- uncountableusuallyThe state or characteristic of being cheap (whether inexpensive, poorly made, or both).
It seems to me that whoever at the Department of Transport or the train operating companies, or both, is specifying the standard of seats these days has taken leave of their senses and opted for cheapness over comfort.
2023 July 26, Pip Dunn, “Merseyrail '777s' are OK for passengers”, in RAIL, number 988, page 60- uncountableusuallySynonym of shoddiness.
The cheapness of the manufacturing is insulting. [the product is poorly made]
Synonyms: shoddiness
- uncountableusuallySynonym of inexpensiveness; affordability.
The cheapness of the offerings is amazing. [the prices are surprisingly good]
Synonyms: inexpensiveness
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe state or character trait of being cheap (stingy).
nounSynonym of shoddiness.
nounSynonym of inexpensiveness; affordability.
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Translations
Arabic رُخْص
- رُخْص (ruḵṣ)state of being cheap
Finnish halpuus
- halpuusstate of being cheap
Greek φτήνια
- φτήνια (ftínia)state of being cheap
Hindi सस्तापन, सस्ताई
- सस्तापन (sastāpan)state of being cheap
- सस्ताई (sastāī)state of being cheap
Latvian lētums
- lētumsstate of being cheap
Russian дешеви́зна
- дешеви́зна (deševízna)state of being cheap
Spanish baratura
- baraturastate of being cheap
Turkish ucuzluk
- ucuzlukstate of being cheap
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with cheapness
All rhymes →Cite this entry
cheapness. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cheapness
“cheapness.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cheapness. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cheapness,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cheapness.
Source: cheapness on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.