When something is expensive but not necessary, it's often called a luxury, status symbol, indulgence, or conspicuous consumption, reflecting a purchase driven by desire, showing wealth, or for pleasure rather than need, fitting terms like Veblen goods or a folly. Words like trinkets, baubles, or gewgaws can describe small, often showy, unnecessary items, while the act of buying them might be described as extravagant, wasteful, or prodigal.
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expensive. costly. valuable. premium. precious.
prodigal. Use the adjective prodigal to describe someone who spends too much money, or something very wasteful. Your prodigal spending on fancy coffee drinks might leave you with no money to buy lunch. Prodigal usually applies to the spending of money.
It's too expensive but you can also say it's a rip off. It costs an arm and a leg. It's a scam. It's daylight robbery. It costs a fortune.
#2 – It cost a fortune / an arm and a leg.
Use these phrases to say that something was VERY expensive.
Something that is extremely expensive costs a fortune or (UK) costs the earth – both slightly informal phrases. We also say, slightly humorously, that something costs an arm and a leg or costs a pretty penny: The hotel is fabulous, but it costs a fortune to stay there.
EXPENSIVE SLANG Here are 5 casual and slang ways to say that something is EXPENSIVE: It's through the roof It's a rip-off It's costs an arm and a leg I paid through the nose It's pricy How about leaving your example in the comments!
“Cost an arm and a leg” describes a very high price — something so expensive it feels like a huge sacrifice. The phrase spread in 20th‑century English as a colorful way to complain about costs.
gratuitous, needless, uncalled-for. unnecessary and unwarranted. inessential. not absolutely necessary. spare.
These reactive purchases have become known as the Diderot Effect. The Diderot Effect states that obtaining a new possession often creates a spiral of consumption which leads you to acquire more new things. As a result, we end up buying things that our previous selves never needed to feel happy or fulfilled.
(prɒdɪgəl ) Word forms: prodigals. 1. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun] You can describe someone as a prodigal son or daughter if they leave their family or friends, often after a period of behaving badly, and then return at a later time as a better person.
adjective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overpriced. expensive. overvalued. exorbitant. overrated.
chic classy deluxe elegant exclusive fashionable grand high-class luxury opulent ritzy swank swanky trendy.
extortionate. Use the adjective extortionate when you're describing something that costs an outrageous amount of money, like extortionate parking tickets or an extortionate bill from your plumber. Is the cost of something far beyond what's reasonable? Then it's extortionate!
We use 'astronomical' to talk about prices, costs, rates, and fees that are extremely high. The house was sold for an astronomical price. Tuition fees at private universities are astronomical.
adjective
Gen Z uses “boujee” to talk about anything that feels expensive, exclusive, or extra special. Example: “The hotel was so boujee, everyone had their own personal butler.”
A base word is a part of a word that has meaning by itself. The meaning can be changed or expanded by adding letters to the beginning (prefix) or end (suffix) of the word. Sometimes small changes are made to the base word when endings are added.
ADJECTIVE. high-priced. costly extravagant fancy high lavish overpriced pricey upscale valuable.
It cost a fortune: It was very expensive. Example: That necklace cost a fortune, but it's worth it for a special occasion. 🦵It cost an arm and a leg: It was extremely expensive. Example: Their holiday cost an arm and a leg, but they enjoyed every minute.
Related Words
costliest costlier costly dear dearer high most valuable precious prohibitive valued valuable.
overbought, overbuying. to purchase in excessive quantities.