inflated prices
Unreasonably high charges
Inflated prices are prices that have risen beyond what's reasonable or expected, often driven by artificial scarcity, speculation, or economic conditions rather than genuine increases in value.
The phrase implies prices are puffed up—swollen with air rather than substance: Ticket scalpers sell at inflated prices.
Inflation, the general rise in prices over time, uses the same metaphor.
- gougingExploitative overpricing
- markupAdded percentage for profit
- marked upIncreased in price
- overpricedCosting more than warranted
- expensiveCosting much money
costly · arm and a leg · ripoff · rip off · bubble · overcharge · premium · steep · exorbitant · highway robbery · scalping · profiteering · supply and demand · sticker shock · extortion · bloated · jacked up · outrageous
- pricingoverpricing, discounts, overcharge, markdowns, unit cost