Cheap vs. Cheep: What's the Difference?
Cheap and cheep are homophones, words that sound alike but have different meanings and spellings. Cheap refers to something that is low in price or of inferior quality, commonly used in the context of purchasing goods and services. On the other hand, cheep is onomatopoeic, representing the short, high-pitched sound made by birds, especially young ones.
How do you use the word cheap in a sentence?
The word cheap is typically used to describe something that is low-cost or not worth a lot of money, whether due to a low price tag or inferior quality. It can also imply a lack of willingness to spend money. Use cheap when discussing purchases, deals, or describing the material worth or quality of an item.
Examples of cheap in a sentence
- I'm looking for a cheap flight to Paris for my summer vacation.
- Despite its cheap price, the watch has lasted me for over a decade.
- He's known for being cheap and never tips more than a dollar.
How do you use the word cheep in a sentence?
Cheep is used to refer to the characteristic sound that birds, particularly chicks, make. It's the specific description of a high-pitched chirp. Use cheep when depicting the vocalizations of birds, often in storytelling, poetry, or when observing nature.
Examples of cheep in a sentence
- The nest was filled with the soft cheep of hungry baby sparrows.
- As I approached, I could hear a cheep from the underbrush, signaling a mother bird's concern.
- Her pet canary would cheep excitedly whenever she entered the room.
Cheap and cheep definition, parts of speech, and pronunciation
Cheap definition:
Cheap (adjective) means costing very little; relatively low in price; inexpensive. It can also signify something that is of little value and poor quality.
Cheap parts of speech:
Cheap pronunciation:
Cheap is pronounced as /chēp/, with a long "ee" sound.
Cheep definition:
Cheep (noun and verb) is the short, sharp sound made by a small bird or a young bird.
Cheep parts of speech:
Cheep pronunciation:
Cheep is pronounced as /chēp/, identical to cheap.
Cheap (adjective) means costing very little; relatively low in price; inexpensive. It can also signify something that is of little value and poor quality.
Cheap parts of speech:
- Adjective: That store offers cheap products.
- Adverb (informal): She always shops cheap to save money.
Cheap pronunciation:
Cheap is pronounced as /chēp/, with a long "ee" sound.
Cheep definition:
Cheep (noun and verb) is the short, sharp sound made by a small bird or a young bird.
Cheep parts of speech:
- Noun: The cheep of the chicks could be heard from afar.
- Verb: The tiny bird cheeped as it searched for its mother.
Cheep pronunciation:
Cheep is pronounced as /chēp/, identical to cheap.
Cheap vs. cheep in a nutshell
Despite sounding the same, cheap and cheep are entirely different in meaning. Cheap is an adjective or adverb referring to low cost or quality, while cheep is a noun and verb describing the sound a small bird makes. Both are homophones but shouldn't be confused in writing as their contexts are distinct, with cheap relating to value and cheep relating to bird vocalizations.
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