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cheapen definition

cheapen (c̸hēp′ən)

transitive verb

  1. to make cheap or cheaper
  2. to depreciate, belittle, or bring into contempt
  3. Archaic to bargain for

Etymology: ME chepen < OE ceapian, to trade, buy (pres. meaning < cheap)

intransitive verb

to become cheap or cheaper

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

cheapen Synonyms

cheapen

v.

ruin, spoil, debase, mar, degrade, devalue, undervalue, reduce, diminish, demean, depreciate, render worthless; see also corrupt 1, damage 1, depreciate 2.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

cheapen Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • technology: However, improvements in and the cheapening of technology give us means of recording that were once available only to very rich organizations.

Object

  • cost: In America the attempt to cheapen the cost of production has met with greater success.

Modifying Another Word

  • only: We only cheapen it by calling its human values " God " .
cheapen usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

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"cheapen." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/cheapen>

APA Style

cheapen. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/cheapen

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