chump change

noun

An amount of remuneration, reward, or other monetary recompense considered to be insultingly small.

“I don't work for chump change. I quit!”

Meanings

nounchump change (uncountable)
  1. USidiomaticuncountableAn amount of remuneration, reward, or other monetary recompense considered to be insultingly small.

    I don't work for chump change. I quit!

    3 more examples

    If you sell one of those cars, your commission will be chump change.

    It was hard to get two dollars out of either of them, and whatever chump change they gave Mere'maw they expected her to squeeze it until it hollered.

    2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World, Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 76

    "First of all, there's no we. You're talking me, solo, busting my hump slinging shards. I got profile now. Don't you get that? DEA's up my ass. No, I'm not exposing myself to that level of risk for chump change. No way."

    2009, Breaking Bad (season 2), 'Breakage' (Episode 5 of Season 2) at 22 minutes. Jesse Pinkman to Walter White in the RV, making drugs, discussing Pinkman selling them direct rather than go through a dealer
  2. USidiomaticuncountableA sum of money considered to be insignificant.

    He spent $300,000 for his new car, but that's chump change for a billionaire like him.

    1 more example

    Near-synonyms: petty cash, pocket money, walk-around money, walking-around money; small change, pocket change, loose change, spare change; pittance

    Synonyms: petty cash, pocket money, walk-around money, walking-around money, small change, pocket change, loose change, spare change

Synonyms & antonyms

More synonyms by meaning

nouna trifling sum of money

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From the idea that only chumps would fall for it. The neutral sense is an extension from the sense concerning indignation.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

chump change. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chump%20change

MLA

“chump change.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chump%20change. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “chump change,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chump%20change.

Source: chump change on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.