2 syllables: cheap, est. Stress on cheap.
CHEE-puhst
/ˈtʃipəst/
cheapest is pronounced CHEE-puhst (/ˈtʃipəst/). It has two syllables (cheap-est), with the stress on "cheap". Cheapest is the superlative form of cheap, meaning the lowest in price. It conveys a sense of cost efficiency or value in comparison to alternatives. In usage, it describes items or options that have the smallest monetary cost among a set, often implying trade-offs may apply. It functions as an adjective or adverbial modifier in many contexts.
Cheapest is the superlative form of cheap, meaning the lowest in price. It conveys a sense of cost efficiency or value in comparison to alternatives. In usage, it describes items or options that have the smallest monetary cost among a set, often implying trade-offs may apply. It functions as an adjective or adverbial modifier in many contexts.
Tip: practice with minimal pairs: cheap vs cheep, peak vs pest, chip vs cheapest to train the sequence and length.
"We found the cheapest tickets online for the concert."
"The cheapest option isn’t always the best value."
"These shoes are the cheapest in the store, but they may wear out quickly."
Phonetically you say /ˈtʃiː.pɪst/. The primary stress falls on the first syllable CHEAP, with a long E sound. The second syllable uses a short I as in “bit,” followed by a final /st/ cluster. Mouth posture: lips neutral to slight spread, tip of the tongue near the ridge behind the upper teeth for /t/, and a light release into /st/. Listen for a clean, crisp /p/ before /st/.
Two frequent errors are misplacing the primary stress or vowel length in the first syllable. Some learners reduce CHEAP to a shorter vowel, saying /ˈtʃiptɪst/ or /ˈtʃiːpɪst/ with a reduced or clipped first vowel. Ensure a steady /iː/ in CHEAP and a clear, unreleased but audible /p/ before the /st/ cluster. Another error is pronouncing the final cluster as /s/ only or adding an extra vowel after /st/. Correct by gliding directly from /p/ to /st/ without an intervening vowel.
In US, UK, and AU accents, the vowel in CHEAP is a long /iː/, with rhoticity affecting only surrounding vowels in connected speech. The /t/ is typically a light aspirated stop, followed by /st/ with no extra syllable. Australians often exhibit more vowel length variation and a slightly flatter /iː/; the /r/ is not pronounced unless following a vowel in rhotic dialects. Overall, the core /ˈtʃiː.pɪst/ remains consistent; the main differences are in vowel quality and connected speech timing.
The difficulty lies in the final /st/ cluster after a tense /iː/ vowel, which can be rushed or blurred in fast speech. Also, the monocular first syllable requires a clear long /iː/ without turning into a diphthong, and a crisp /p/ release before the /st/ cluster. Non-native speakers may mispronounce /tʃ/ as /t/ or misplace aspiration, leading to muffled or blurred endings. Practicing precise lip closure and a clean stop before /st/ helps.
Does the word ever reduce the first syllable in fast speech, making it sound like /ˈtʃɪ.pɪst/?" Not in standard careful speech, but in rapid colloquial speech some speakers may briefly shorten the /iː/ to a shorter vowel, producing /ˈtʃɪ.pɪst/. Keep the length of /iː/ consistent to maintain clarity, especially in noisy contexts or when contrastive with more expensive options.
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Cheapest derives from the adjective cheap, with the superlative suffix -est to form the comparative of the adjective in English. The word cheap itself originated in Old English cēap, meaning inexpensive or affordable, connected to Proto-Germanic *kaipaz and Proto-Indo-European root *keib-, meaning to buy or trade. The transformation from ‘cheap’ to ‘cheapest’ followed regular historical patterns in English where adjectives take -est to form the superlative in short, single-syllable words (e.g., small → smallest, quick → quickest). The sense of “low in price” dates back to the early Middle English period, with the word appearing in texts by the 13th to 14th centuries as trade and markets expanded in Europe. Over time, cheap expanded semantically toward “low value,” “inexpensive by any standard,” while maintaining a primary financial sense. The particle ‘the’ is often used with the superlative to highlight comparison across a set (the cheapest option, the cheapest price). Contemporary usage retains these roots and also carries idiomatic force in marketing and bargaining contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "cheapest" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "cheapest" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "cheapest"
-ast sounds
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