What does expensiveness mean?
Expensiveness is the abstract noun formed from the adjective 'expensive', denoting the quality or state of costing a great deal of money. It is used when speakers wish to discuss high cost as a property of something rather than as a passing observation: the expensiveness of living in a city, the expensiveness of a luxury brand, or the expensiveness of medical care. The word belongs chiefly to formal registers — journalism, academic writing, reviews, and policy discussion — where everyday alternatives such as 'high cost' or 'steep prices' might feel too colloquial. It typically carries a negative or critical connotation, framing expense as a burden or drawback rather than a neutral fact. A common pitfall is confusing it with 'expansiveness', which describes breadth of scope or an open, communicative manner. Despite its formality, expensiveness is a precise and useful term for naming cost itself as a subject of discussion.
nounThe quality or state of being expensive; the degree to which something costs a great deal of money.
- The quality of costing a great deal of money; high price or costliness.
"Visitors to the resort were unprepared for the sheer expensiveness of dining in the area."
"The expensiveness of housing in the capital has pushed many young families to the suburbs."
"Critics praised the restaurant's food while lamenting the expensiveness of its tasting menu."
Almost never pluralised; as an abstract mass noun it appears almost exclusively in the singular.
"The report compared the expensivenesses of various metropolitan areas — a construction best avoided in favour of rephrasing."
Swap one letter and 'expensiveness' becomes 'expansiveness' — a typo that turns a complaint about your bill into a compliment about your personality.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of expensiveness
Expensiveness derives from 'expensive', which entered English in the early 17th century from Medieval Latin 'expensus', the past participle of Latin 'expendere', meaning 'to weigh out' or 'to pay out' (from 'ex-' meaning 'out' plus 'pendere' meaning 'to weigh or hang'). The same Latin root gives English words such as 'pension', 'compensate', and 'dispense'. Adding the suffix '-ness' to 'expensive' creates the abstract noun denoting the quality of being costly.
Related word forms
How expensiveness is actually used
A formal, somewhat abstract noun, more common in written than spoken English. Speakers often prefer phrases like 'how expensive it is' or 'the high cost' in casual conversation. It carries a mildly negative connotation, usually signalling complaint or criticism.
Easily confused with expensiveness
'Expensiveness' refers to high cost, while 'expansiveness' means the quality of being expansive — broad, extensive, or communicative and open in manner.