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.
And acquiring NBCUniversal from General Electric on the cheap was actually a great move for Comcast that paid off pretty well for much of last decade. Kelly Evans, CNBC, 21 Nov. 2024 The deal could resolve a dispute between the local activists, the town, and the school district, which acquired the land seven decades ago on the cheap and under controversial circumstances. Steven Walker, Orlando Sentinel, 26 Nov. 2024 By then, Witkoff had branched out into offices, picking up properties on the cheap during a real estate crash. Giacomo Tognini, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024 Another has gained a following in reviewing children’s meals that adults in Shanghai can eat on the cheap. Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2024 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

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 22 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!