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be expensive
/biː ɪkˈspɛnsɪv/
cost a lot of money
This car is expensive.
The car costs a lot of money.
general
To cost a lot of money; to have a high price
Luxury watches are expensive.
Luxury watches cost a lot of money.
Education in private schools can be expensive.
Education in private schools often has a high price.
This phrase is commonly used to describe the high cost of goods, services, or experiences.
Collocations
be too expensivecost more than someone is willing to paybe reasonably expensivecost a moderate amount of money
Synonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Usage
Use 'be expensive' to describe the high cost of something in a general context.
Gold Rule
Avoid Overuse
While 'be expensive' is useful, avoid overusing it in formal writing. Use synonyms like 'costly' or 'pricey' for variety.
Word Origin
Derived from the verb 'be' and the adjective 'expensive', which comes from the Latin 'expensivus', meaning 'costly'.
Usage Notes
This phrase is commonly used in everyday conversations to discuss the cost of items or services. It can also be used to express concern about affordability.
Word Breakdown
be
to exist in a certain state
verbexpensive
costing a lot of money
adjectiveEnglish Dictionary