dime-store

1 of 2

adjective

ˈdīm-ˌstȯr How to pronounce dime-store (audio)
Synonyms of dime-storenext
1
: inexpensive
dime-store perfume
2
: tawdry, second-rate
dime-store philosophy

dime store

2 of 2

noun

: five-and-dime

Synonyms of dime-store

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Adjective

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Examples of dime-store in a Sentence

Adjective a dime-store tablecloth that is certainly good enough for a picnic
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Along the narrow hallway, bookshelves burst with first editions of John Updike, battered Stephen Kings, graphic novels, dime-store paperbacks, board games, books about mythology, children’s fairy tales, and Warhammer rule sets. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 July 2026 Tommy Lee Walker, a 19-year-old Black man and new father, was convicted in 1954 of the murder of Venice Lorraine Parker, a 29-year-old white woman and dime-store clerk, under a bridge near the Love Field airport. — Jamie Landers, Dallas Morning News, 21 Jan. 2026
Noun
There was a dime store, a haberdashery, and a newspaper; for a while, Sam delivered fresh produce and cured meats by horse and buggy. — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026 During the 1930s and 1940s, customers could find glassware nearly anywhere, from department stores to dime stores and from catalogs to grocery-store promotions. — Alexandra Churchill, Martha Stewart, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dime-store

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1938, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

circa 1928, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dime-store was circa 1928

Rhymes for dime-store

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Browse Nearby Words

dimerous
dime-store
dime store
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Cite this Entry

“Dime-store.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dime-store. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

dime store

noun
: a store that sells mainly inexpensive goods
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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