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Glite Dictionary
🪑 Poor quality 🧑‍💼 A low-quality seller
cheapjack

cheapjack

8.4
Made from poor materials and not made to last
  • adjective
  • /ˈtʃipˌdʒæk/
  • Archaic
translation icon : de mala calidad
  • The market was full of cheapjack souvenirs that broke after a few uses.

Examples

  • Many critics dismissed the film as cheapjack entertainment lacking in substance.

  • That is a cheapjack product!

  • He warned them against buying cheapjack furniture that wouldn't last a year.

  • The cheapjack furniture fell apart after just a few weeks.

  • The store was filled with cheapjack toys that broke after just one use.

  • She regretted buying the cheapjack furniture, as it fell apart within weeks.

  • They tried to sell cheapjack electronics that quickly malfunctioned.

Synonyms

cheap
vscheapjack
347 1.0

Not made well and breaks or wears out quickly

focuses on poor workmanship and materials rather than only fragility
shoddy
vscheapjack
30 4.5

Not made well and likely to break or stop working

treats both poor materials and workmanship as the reason for low quality
tawdry
vscheapjack
24 7.8

A thing that looks showy but is cheap and low quality

describes poor construction and materials rather than showy appearance
rubbishy
vscheapjack
  • UK
7.0

Cheap and poorly made

focuses on being poorly made from bad materials and workmanship
poorish
vscheapjack
  • Informal
4.6

Not very good in quality or condition

means clearly inferior with bad workmanship and poor materials

Antonyms

well-made
17 3.6

Built carefully so it is strong and lasts

How Cheap

worthless
298 3.0
cheapjack
  • Archaic
8.4
substandard
27 4.4

Surface Forms

cheapjack positive

Morphology

cheapjack = cheap + jack (semi-transparent) = cheap + jack

Meaning is built from 'cheap' + 'jack' (a person), but the slang sense and pejorative nuance of 'jack' and the specific sense 'seller of shoddy goods' may not be obvious to all learners.

Etymology

Cheapjack comes from cheap ('inexpensive') and jack ('man' or 'seller'), which gives the picture of a trader selling low-cost goods. So, when something is called cheapjack it means it is made with poor quality or looks cheaply made.