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 There is a tradeoff between ease and equity, and vaccinating on the cheap will result in unequal access. Josh Michaud, Foreign Affairs, 2 Dec. 2020 Past privatization efforts have often been ill-conceived, economists say, allowing large assets to fall into the hands of oligarchs on the cheap, or have been delayed for years by unfavorable market conditions and legal disputes over the payment of company debts. Daria Mitiuk, New York Times, 12 June 2024 Copy shops arrive across the United States, along with their services for mass-printing pages on the cheap. Gabriela Riccardi, Quartz, 5 June 2024 Air Travel Our best strategies for getting more space on the cheap. Nina Swanson, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Aug. 2023 In other words, there is a tradeoff between ease and equity, and vaccinating on the cheap will result in unequal access. Josh Michaud, Foreign Affairs, 2 Dec. 2020 While low and falling valuations have offered opportunities for short sellers, bargain-hunting companies are increasingly eyeing their own opportunities to acquire those U.K. firms on the cheap. Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 4 June 2024 The job market is cooling, the cost of living is still at a record high and judging by return-to-office mandates, the pendulum is seemingly swinging back in favor of bosses—but that doesn’t mean employers will now be able to snap up top talent on the cheap. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 15 May 2024 The 2020 first-team All-Pro cornerback won’t sign anywhere on the cheap, and that’s likely what the hold is for his current market. Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'on the cheap.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near on the cheap

Cite this Entry

“On the cheap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20cheap. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.

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