far too expensive

USAGE SUMMARY

"far too expensive" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when something is greater in cost than what is needed or expected. For example: "The new laptop was far too expensive for my budget."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

That would be far too expensive.

Princeton University

Then far too expensive mitigation measures are proposed.

Yale University

Similarly, developing exact computational simulations are still far too expensive.

Princeton University

It was far, far too expensive," he said.

The Guardian - Sport

And these were far too expensive for everyday use.

The Guardian

In the end, filming in Russia proved far too expensive".

The Guardian - Books

I was disappointed that there was so little technology and that it was far too expensive.

Harvard University

It is considered that redeveloping the current Goodison Park site is far too expensive.

Independent

But the drugs are often far too expensive for African countries to acquire.

The New Yorker

It was far too expensive at that time to think of sequencing patients' whole genomes.

The New York Times - Health

That would be far too expensive, even though sequencing costs are falling fast.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "far too expensive" to express strong disapproval of a price, implying it's beyond reasonable or justifiable limits. For example, 'The renovation project became far too expensive, forcing us to scale back our plans.'

Common error

Avoid using multiple intensifiers redundantly. Saying 'very far too expensive' is usually unnecessary; "far too expensive" already conveys a strong degree.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "far too expensive" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun to indicate that its cost is excessively high. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. This phrase is commonly used to express a strong objection to a price.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

49%

Academia

25%

Science

18%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "far too expensive" is a grammatically sound and widely used adjectival phrase, as confirmed by Ludwig AI, employed to express a strong sense of disapproval regarding the high cost of something. It's most commonly found in News & Media and Academic contexts. While versatile, avoid redundant intensifiers like 'very' before it. Alternatives include "prohibitively expensive" or "unaffordable", offering similar meanings with slightly different emphasis. Knowing its appropriate usage helps writers effectively convey their sentiment about excessive costs.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prohibitively expensive

Emphasizes the preventing or forbidding nature of the high cost.

unaffordable

Directly states the inability to pay for something.

excessively priced

Highlights the unreasonable level of pricing.

outrageously costly

Conveys a sense of shock or indignation at the high price.

unreasonably expensive

Indicates that the cost is not justified or logical.

overpriced

Simply states that the price is too high compared to its value.

beyond one's means

Focuses on personal financial limitations.

astronomically priced

Uses hyperbole to emphasize extreme high cost.

unjustifiably expensive

Emphasizes the lack of a valid reason for the high cost.

at a premium price

Suggests high quality as a justification for the cost but still implying it's very high.

FAQs

How can I use "far too expensive" in a sentence?

Use "far too expensive" to express that the cost of something is much higher than what is acceptable or reasonable. For example, "The repairs to the car were "far too expensive", so I decided to sell it."

What are some alternatives to "far too expensive"?

You can use alternatives such as "prohibitively expensive", "unaffordable", or "excessively priced" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "very far too expensive"?

While understandable, "very far too expensive" is often redundant. The phrase "far too expensive" already implies a significant degree of expensiveness. Using "very" can sound awkward and is usually unnecessary.

What's the difference between "too expensive" and "far too expensive"?

"Too expensive" indicates that something is more costly than desired or expected. "Far too expensive" amplifies this, expressing a stronger sentiment that something is significantly beyond what is considered reasonable or affordable.