an exorbitant

USAGE SUMMARY

"an exorbitant" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe something that is excessively high or unreasonable, often in terms of price or cost. Example: "The hotel charged an exorbitant fee for a single night." Alternative expressions include "an outrageous," "an excessive," or "a prohibitive."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I paid the guy an exorbitant fee.

The New York Times

Is that an exorbitant amount?

The Guardian

"Infertile couples," Foreman writes, "paid an exorbitant.

The New York Times - Books

Because they are all paid an exorbitant amount of money".

The New York Times

But all those benefits have come at an exorbitant price.

The New Yorker

This is an exorbitant cost for Europe to bear.

The New York Times

However, the use of the product arrays results in an exorbitant number of runs.

Statistics & Probability Letters

However, the use of product arrays results in an exorbitant number of runs.

Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference

Being able to set the agenda and shape coalitions is an exorbitant privilege.

The Economist

Those banks that could raise money were paying an exorbitant price (see chart).

The Economist

He would prefer a prohibition on pets to an exorbitant charge.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In formal writing, pair this phrase with concrete nouns like "fee", "cost", "price" or "sum" to provide clear context for the excess being described.

Common error

Avoid using the article "a" before the word "exorbitant". Because the word begins with a vowel sound, the correct indefinite article is always "an". Using "a exorbitant" is a frequent grammatical slip that disrupts the flow of the sentence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an exorbitant" serves as an adjective phrase modified by an indefinite article. It functions as an attributive modifier, typically placed before a noun to quantify it as being beyond reasonable limits. In Ludwig, it is most frequently observed modifying financial nouns such as "price", "fee" or "sum".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Academia

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "an exorbitant" is a highly effective linguistic tool used to denote extreme or unreasonable excess. Based on analysis from Ludwig AI, it is most frequently paired with nouns related to financial costs, such as "price", "fee" and "bill". It is grammatically correct and widely accepted across all formal registers, from The New York Times to scientific journals like PlosOne. When using this phrase, writers should ensure they use the correct indefinite article "an" and reserve the term for situations where the excess is significant enough to warrant a critical or surprised tone. It remains a staple in professional English for describing market overvaluations, unfair pricing and inordinate amounts of time or effort.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an excessive

More neutral and general, focusing on the sheer quantity rather than the unfairness

an extortionate

Stronger implication of being victimized by unfair pricing or greed

a prohibitive

Specifically suggests that the cost is so high it prevents people from doing or buying something

an outrageous

Adds a layer of moral indignation or shock at the level of excess

an inordinate

More formal and often used to describe excessive time, effort or attention

an unreasonable

Emphasizes the lack of logic or fairness behind the amount

a sky-high

A more informal, idiomatic way to describe very high prices

a steep

Commonly used for prices to indicate they are high but perhaps slightly less critical than exorbitant

a preposterous

Highlights the absurdity or ridiculousness of the amount

an unwarranted

Focuses on the lack of justification or basis for the high level

FAQs

What does "an exorbitant" mean?

The phrase "an exorbitant" describes something, usually a price or an amount, that is unreasonably high or excessive. It is often used to express disapproval of costs that seem unfair, such as "an exorbitant fee" or "an exorbitant price".

What can I say instead of "an exorbitant"?

Depending on your context, you could use synonyms like "an excessive", "an extortionate" or "a prohibitive" to describe high costs.

Is it "a exorbitant" or "an exorbitant"?

The correct form is "an exorbitant" because the word "exorbitant" starts with a vowel sound. Using "a" in this context is grammatically incorrect.

How do you use "an exorbitant" in a sentence?

It is typically used before a noun to emphasize excess. For example: "The landlord charged "an exorbitant amount" for the security deposit".