cheapen

/ˈtʃiːpən/

//ˈtʃiːpən// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"cheapen" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“cheapen” is uncommon English (frequency #76,633 among 43,570 “C” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#76,633
frequency rank, English
43,570
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To decrease the value or price of; to make cheaper.

Key facts for cheapen
PropertyValue
Headwordcheapen
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈtʃiːpən/
Letters7
Frequency rank#76,633
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cheapen” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). cheapen lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

cheapen is uncommon English at frequency #76,633 among 43,570 “C” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈtʃiːpən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for cheapen, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From cheap + -en. The correct English form is cheapen, spelled C-H-E-A-P-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To decrease the value or price of; to make cheaper.
  2. 2
    To make vulgar.
  3. 3
    To become cheaper.
  4. 4
    To bargain for, ask the price of.

Etymology

From cheap + -en.

This word in other languages

déprécier(Français)baratear(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "cheapen"?
"cheapen" is spelled C-H-E-A-P-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtʃiːpən/.
What does "cheapen" mean?
As a verb, "cheapen" means: To decrease the value or price of; to make cheaper.
How do you pronounce "cheapen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cheapen" is /ˈtʃiːpən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "cheapen"?
From cheap + -en. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “cheapen”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-H-E-A-P-E-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtʃiːpən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list