at a premium
In short supply
At a premium describes something scarce, in high demand, or available only at a price above the usual: Parking spaces are at a premium downtown.
The phrase comes from the financial sense of premium—an amount above standard value.
Time, space, and skilled workers are often said to be at a premium when supply falls short of demand.
- limited editionSmall intentional production run
- shortageDeficient supply of necessities
- exclusivityState of being limited
- market demandBuyers' total desired quantity
- supply and demandPrice-determining economic forces
seller's market · status symbol · trade-off · rationed · scarce · hard to come by · tight · irreplaceable · prestige · dear · uniqueness · bidding war · overvaluation · sought-after · collectible · rare find · luxury goods · pricey
- Running Lowrunning low, in short supply, running out, dried up, next to nothing
- scarcityscarcity, scarce, shortage, scant, scanty
at a premiumdiscounted
Reduced in price
on sale · marked down · cheap · cut-rate · reduced
at a premiumin abundance
In large quantities
plentiful · abundant · a dime a dozen · commonplace · ubiquitous
at a premiumunwanted
Not wished for
undervalued · undesirable · worthless · dispensable · unsought