Dictionary

cheapen en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈtʃiːpən/
• (US) audio Audio (US)

Etymology

From cheap + -en.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To decrease the value or price of; to make cheaper.
   • Now, covered concrete troughs to house the cables are laid parallel with the railway lines, cheapening maintenance because of improved accessibility for inspection and repair. 1961 November, “Talking of Trains: The North Eastern's new rail-mounted piling unit”, in Trains Illustrated, page 646:
2. (transitive) To make vulgar.
   • The pace of the season can't help but cheapen these scenes, but I can’t deny that it's a blast. I’ve been critical of both the relative depopulation of the cast in this final run and the speedy, schematic narrative that checks off high points and moves on without really building to them. 2017 August 13, Brandon Nowalk, “Oldtown Offers One Last Game-changing Secret as Game of Thrones Goes behind Enemy Lines (Newbies)”, in The Onion A.V. Club:
3. (intransitive) To become cheaper.
4. (obsolete, transitive) To bargain for, ask the price of.
   • I should like to have seen that noble old madcap Peterborough in his boots (he actually had the audacity to walk about Bath in boots!), with his blue ribbon and stars, and a cabbage under each arm, and a chicken in his hand, which he had been cheapening for his dinner. 1861 November, W[illiam] M[akepeace] Thackeray, “George the First”, in The Four Georges: Sketches of Manners, Morals, Court, and Town Life, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], →OCLC, pages 34–35:
   • The maid was on the step, cheapening fish with a virulent lady who had a sieve-full to dispose of. 1863, J[oseph] Sheridan Le Fanu, The House by the Church-yard. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Tinsley, Brothers, […], →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

cheapener · cheapen out

Relateds

affordability (lower the value or price)

Translations (36)

fi halventua (to become cheaper) · fi alentaa hintaa (to make cheaper) · uk здешеви́ти (to make cheaper) · bg поевтинявам (to become cheaper) · pt baratear (to make cheaper) · fr dévaluer (to make cheaper) · es baratear (to bargain for) · es desencarecer (to make cheaper) · pt depreciar (to become cheaper) · ca desencarir (to make cheaper) · es desencarecer (to become cheaper) · es abaratarse (to become cheaper) · cs zlevnit (to become cheaper) · pt desvalorizar (to make cheaper) · fi halpuuttaa (to make cheaper) · ca desencarir-se (to become cheaper) · fi halventaa (to make cheaper) · pt depreciar (to make cheaper) · ru удешеви́ть (to make cheaper) · ru удешевля́ть (to make cheaper) · fi laskea hintaa (to make cheaper) · uk здеше́влювати (to make cheaper) · ar يُرَخِّص (to make cheaper) · es abaratar (to make cheaper) · pt vulgarizar (to make vulgar) · fi halveta (to become cheaper) · pt rebaixar (to make vulgar) · io chipigar (to make cheaper) · cs zlevnit (to make cheaper) · ar يَرْخُص (to become cheaper) · fi halventaa (to make vulgar) · ga ísligh (to make cheaper) · ga ísligh (to become cheaper) · fr déprécier (to make cheaper) · es baratear (to make cheaper) · fi tinkiä (to bargain for)