cheapen

verb

cheap·​en ˈchē-pən 

cheapened; cheapening

ˈchēp-niŋ, 

ˈchē-pə- 

transitive verb

1

[obsolete English cheap to price, bid for] archaic

a

: to ask the price of

b

: to bid or bargain for

2

a

: to make cheap in price or value

b

: to lower in general esteem

c

: to make tawdry, vulgar, or inferior

intransitive verb

: to become cheap

Synonyms of cheapen

• reduce

Examples of cheapen in a Sentence

products cheapened by sloppy workmanship

Using the national flag in advertising only cheapens it.

Poor marketing can cheapen a brand name.

I thought that the show cheapened the lives of the people it portrayed.

The wedding ceremony was cheapened by the best man's tasteless jokes.

Recent Examples on the Web

Granting local voting power to people who have not completed that process or who have no interest in doing so, including those here unlawfully, cheapens the commitment made by millions of immigrants who did. —Matt Klink, Oc Register, 1 May 2026

And the body that sold stories like Chambliss’s for years, who swore compensating players would cheapen the game, is the only entity who wants his story to end. —Bomani Jones, Vanity Fair, 29 Apr. 2026

Assigning a dollar value to life was never meant to cheapen it; it was meant to ensure it wasn’t lost. —Andrew Behar, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026

And such a misapplication cheapens it and robs it of its spiritual beauty and impact. —James Coffin, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1546, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for cheapen

• deepen
• marzipan