put a price on

USAGE SUMMARY

'put a price on' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to assigning a monetary value to something. For example, "I'm not sure how to put a price on this antique vase, since it's one of a kind."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Can one really put a price on happiness?

Huffington Post

You cannot put a price on education.

The New York Times - Arts

CAN you put a price on heroism?

The Economist

Can you put a price on that?

The New York Times

You can't put a price on that.

The New York Times - Sports

You can't put a price on respect.

The Washington Post

Can you put a price on creativity?

The Guardian

You can't put a price on hope".

The Guardian

You couldn't put a price on it.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

You couldn't put a price on that.

The New York Times - Food

It was they who put a price on Palestine.

Columbia University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "put a price on" when you want to emphasize the act of assigning a value, especially when that value might be difficult to determine or controversial. For example, you might say "It's hard to put a price on peace of mind".

Common error

Be mindful that "put a price on" isn't always about monetary cost. It can refer to the value or importance you assign to intangible things like time, effort, or principles. Avoid using it solely in contexts where a direct financial transaction is involved.

Linguistic Context

The idiomatic phrase "put a price on" functions as a verb phrase used to express the act of assigning a monetary value to something or evaluating its worth. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and usable. It often implies that the value is difficult to determine.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Academia

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "put a price on" is a versatile idiomatic expression used to describe the act of assigning value, be it monetary or abstract. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and widely used across various contexts, most commonly in news and media. While it often refers to financial cost, it's also employed to convey the inestimable worth of things like health or happiness. Related phrases include "assign a value to" and "determine the worth of", offering nuanced alternatives depending on the intended emphasis. When using this phrase, remember that it's not always about money and consider the broader implications of the value you're assigning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

set a price for

Similar to the original phrase, but more direct in setting a specific monetary value.

assign a value to

Focuses on the act of assigning a specific value, whether monetary or otherwise, to something.

estimate the value of

Implies making an approximate calculation of something's worth.

determine the worth of

Emphasizes the process of evaluating and establishing the value or merit of something.

appraise the cost of

Suggests a formal evaluation, often by an expert, to determine the price or value.

assess the cost of

Highlights the evaluation of expenses associated with something, often in a financial context.

place a premium on

Indicates assigning a high value or importance to something.

evaluate the importance of

Shifts the focus to assessing the significance or relevance of something, rather than its monetary value.

quantify the value of

Involves expressing the value of something in numerical or measurable terms.

measure the impact of

Focuses on gauging the effect or influence of something, rather than its direct monetary value.

FAQs

How do you use "put a price on" in a sentence?

You can use "put a price on" to talk about assigning a monetary value to something, as in "The auction house struggled to put a price on the rare manuscript". Alternatively, you can use it to express the difficulty or impossibility of valuing something intangible, such as "You can't put a price on good health".

What can I say instead of "put a price on"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "assign a value to", "determine the worth of", or "set a price for".

Is it always about money when you "put a price on" something?

No, "put a price on" can be used both for tangible items where a monetary value is assigned and for intangible things like feelings, experiences, or values where assigning a monetary value is difficult or inappropriate. For example, "You can't put a price on happiness".

What's the difference between "put a price on" and "place a value on"?

"Put a price on" typically implies assigning a specific monetary amount or cost, while "place a value on" is broader and can refer to appreciating or prioritizing something without necessarily assigning a specific monetary figure. The former is more concrete, the latter more abstract.