dirt cheap

Meaning

This casual idiom describes something that is extremely inexpensive or costs very little money. It is a highly conversational way to emphasize an amazing bargain or a surprisingly low price.

Examples

• I bought this vintage leather jacket at a thrift store, and it was dirt cheap.

  I bought this vintage leather jacket at a thrift store, and it was dirt cheap.

• Flights to Europe are dirt cheap if you book them during the off-season.

  Flights to Europe are dirt cheap if you book them during the off-season.

• We found a cozy little apartment near the beach that was dirt cheap.

  We found a cozy little apartment near the beach that was dirt cheap.

• Vegetables are dirt cheap at the local farmer's market on weekends.

  Vegetables are dirt cheap at the local farmer's market on weekends.

• Don't expect high quality from a watch that was dirt cheap.

  Don't expect high quality from a watch that was dirt cheap.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ The street food was cheaply like dirt.

  ✓ The street food was dirt cheap.

  The idiom is a fixed adjective phrase 'dirt cheap.' Do not translate it literally or rearrange the words.

• ✗ I bought a dirt cheap car.

  ✓ I bought a dirt-cheap car.

  When 'dirt cheap' is used directly before a noun, it should be hyphenated (dirt-cheap) as a compound adjective.

Related Expressions

Practice

• You should buy your books online; they are often ___ compared to the campus store.

  💡 Idiom meaning extremely inexpensive.

  Show answer

  dirt cheap

• I managed to get these concert tickets ___ because someone cancelled last minute.

  💡 Two words meaning very low cost.

  Show answer

  dirt cheap