overly expensive

USAGE SUMMARY

"overly expensive" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that costs significantly more than it should. For example, "I was expecting to pay $50 for the coat, but sadly discovered that it was overly expensive at $150."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"That is not an overly expensive market.

The New York Times

Yanu­kovych described the deal as overly expensive.

The Washington Post

An overly expensive gift -- Is that what this is?

The New York Times - Magazine

Our results suggest that neglecting nonlinear charging may lead to infeasible or overly expensive solutions.

Transportation Research Part B: Methodological

Applications elsewhere could weigh in adverse downstream effects, degradation of the ecology and overly expensive choices.

Environmental Modelling & Software

Brokers had to recommend "suitable" investments, but that gave them leeway to sell overly expensive products.

The New York Times

Yet many Wall Street professionals remain wary that the market is still overly expensive.

The New York Times

For his part, Mr. Diller disputed the notion that USA is overly expensive.

The New York Times

Unless you have an overly expensive cable package, it's nearly impossible to watch baseball.

The Washington Post

The result is an overly expensive and incomplete solution to the climate crisis.

The New York Times

My father prefers garden-variety Jameson's — smooth and fruity, not overly expensive or fussy — but has not turned down Bushmills.

The New York Times - Food

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a specific product or service, provide context for why you consider it "overly expensive". Compare its price to alternatives or explain how it doesn't deliver sufficient value for the cost.

Common error

Avoid simply stating that something is "overly expensive" without providing any supporting details or comparisons. This can sound subjective and unconvincing. Instead, quantify the cost or explain why it exceeds reasonable expectations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "overly expensive" functions as a descriptive adjective phrase. It modifies a noun, indicating that something's cost is excessive. As noted by Ludwig AI, it's grammatically sound and commonly used. It serves to qualify a subject by emphasizing its high price relative to perceived value.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Science

23%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Academia

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "overly expensive" is a grammatically correct and commonly used adjective phrase that describes something as costing more than it should. Ludwig AI validates its usability in written English. It is found across a wide range of contexts, but especially in news and media and science, implying a neutral register. When using the phrase, it's best practice to provide context and supporting details to justify the assertion that something is "overly expensive". Alternatives include "overpriced", "prohibitively costly", and "unreasonably priced", each with slightly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Overpriced

A more concise and common way to say "overly expensive".

Too expensive

A simpler and more direct way to express the same sentiment.

Prohibitively costly

This alternative suggests that the price is so high it prevents purchase.

Unreasonably priced

This phrase implies that the cost does not align with the value or quality.

Exorbitantly high

This alternative emphasizes the extreme level of cost.

Excessively high-priced

Similar to exorbitantly high, highlighting the excessiveness.

Steeply-priced

Similar to "exorbitantly high", but with a slightly different tone.

Unjustifiably high cost

Adds a sense of unfairness to the high price.

Marked-up beyond reason

Suggests intentional inflation of the price.

Rip-off

An informal term indicating that something is drastically overpriced.

FAQs

How to use "overly expensive" in a sentence?

You can use "overly expensive" to describe something that costs significantly more than its value or comparable items. For example, "The repairs were "overly expensive", costing more than the car was worth".

What can I say instead of "overly expensive"?

You can use alternatives like "overpriced", "prohibitively costly", or "unreasonably priced" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "overly expensive" or "too expensive"?

Both "overly expensive" and "too expensive" are correct, but "overly expensive" implies that the price is excessive relative to its value or other options, while "too expensive" simply means it exceeds one's budget or willingness to pay.

What's the difference between "overly expensive" and "exorbitant"?

"Overly expensive" suggests that something costs more than it should, while "exorbitant" emphasizes an extremely high and often unreasonable price. "Exorbitant" is a stronger term.