sufficiently expensive

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "sufficiently expensive" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that costs enough to meet a certain threshold or standard of expense. Example: "The new software is sufficiently expensive to justify its advanced features and capabilities."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

He's noticed another trend: people who've had their benefits sanctioned stealing televisions or other items sufficiently expensive to guarantee they're sent down.

The Guardian - Opinion

What does a sommelier do except agree that your choice of wine is good (if sufficiently expensive), then park the bottle on distant sideboard and vanish?

The Guardian - Opinion

It is always possible that a similarly shocking event will occur — a military conflict that results in Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz, for instance — but he finds the probability sufficiently low and oil sufficiently expensive that it would be imprudent to plan a portfolio around it.

The New York Times

When storage is sufficiently expensive that not all content should be cached at all sites, two issues must be addressed: how should requests for content be routed to the cloud provider sites, and what policy should be used for caching content using the elastic storage resources obtained from the cloud provider.

Performance Evaluation

Smoking, although cheap by western standards, is sufficiently expensive to require a certain level of income.

BMC International Health and Human Rights

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Was he sufficiently humble?

The Guardian

This cost-effective techniques for NW production, as it can be carried out with a sufficiently less expensive apparatus.

Nanoscale Research Letters

So I hit Alibaba and bought the Tie Fighter kit, a model that at once pushed all the right nostalgia buttons for me and the excitement buttons for my children and was sufficiently complex and expensive that we didn't want to order the real model.

TechCrunch

During the 1990s programming techniques for it had not developed sufficiently to justify the expensive use of supercomputers, which limited applications to rather simplistic problems.

Encyclopedia Britannica

At low quorum thresholds (nq = 2 and nq = 3) and a low rate of diffusion, the QS machinery is too expensive because sufficiently often neighborhoods will contain a quorum of unconditional cooperators, and the QS alleles are not selected.

Plosone

Many of the centrists said they shared the same concerns: that the legislation proposed so far is too expensive; does not sufficiently reduce health care costs over the long term; and would raise taxes too much, or in ways they oppose.

The New York Times - Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "sufficiently expensive", ensure the context clearly indicates what the expense is sufficient for. For example, is it "sufficiently expensive" to deter theft, or to guarantee quality?

Common error

Avoid using "sufficiently expensive" in casual conversations; simpler terms like "pricey" or "too expensive" are often more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sufficiently expensive" functions as an adverb-adjective combination, modifying a noun by describing its cost in terms of meeting a certain threshold. It suggests that the item or service's price is adequate for a specific purpose or expectation. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "sufficiently expensive" is a grammatically correct adverb-adjective combination used to indicate that something's price meets a particular threshold or expectation. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. While not highly frequent, it appears in diverse contexts like News & Media, Science, and encyclopedias, suggesting a formal-neutral register. When using this phrase, ensure the context clarifies what the expense is sufficient for. Alternative phrases such as "adequately priced" or "expensive enough" can be used depending on the specific shade of meaning you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

expensive enough

Simple reordering of words, still expresses the same sentiment.

adequately priced

Focuses on meeting a price point, similar to being "sufficiently expensive".

high enough in price

A more direct way of expressing that the price meets a requirement.

reasonably costly

Indicates a level of cost that is justifiable or expected.

justifiably high-priced

Emphasizes that the high price is warranted by the product or service.

suitably premium

Highlights that the price is in line with a premium product or service.

acceptably valuable

Shifts focus to the value received for the price paid.

worth the cost

Changes the focus to whether the value justifies the expense.

appropriately luxurious

Implies that the price reflects a certain level of luxury.

economically prohibitive

Indicates the cost is high enough to prevent purchase or use.

FAQs

How can I use "sufficiently expensive" in a sentence?

Use "sufficiently expensive" to describe something that costs enough to meet a specific requirement or expectation. For example, "The security system was sufficiently expensive to deter most burglars".

What's a good alternative to "sufficiently expensive"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "adequately priced", "reasonably costly", or "expensive enough".

Is it correct to say "enough expensive" instead of "sufficiently expensive"?

No, the correct order is "expensive enough" or "sufficiently expensive". "Enough" typically follows the adjective it modifies, while "sufficiently" precedes it.

What does it mean for something to be "sufficiently expensive"?

It means the cost is high enough to achieve a particular purpose or meet a certain standard. For instance, a luxury item might be "sufficiently expensive" to convey status.