Idiom
dime a dozen
Meanings
Very common and easy to get, so not especially valuable or impressive.
Definition
Used to say something is very common and not valuable or special.
"Dime a dozen" means that there are so many of something that it is easy to find and not considered special. It often suggests the thing has little value or is not impressive because it is so common. People use it to compare a rare or high-quality thing to many ordinary ones.
Examples
- Influencers are a dime a dozen these days.
- Cheap plastic souvenirs are a dime a dozen at the beach shops.
- Good ideas aren’t a dime a dozen, but excuses are.
- In that city, studio apartments are a dime a dozen.
- He thought his resume was unique, but they’re a dime a dozen in that field.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes use it to mean “very cheap” instead of “very common and not special.”
More at B2 level
- Bob's your uncle Used to say that something will be easy or will happen exactly as expected after a simple step.
- touch base To touch base means to briefly contact someone to share updates, confirm plans, or check progress.
- ballpark figure A ballpark figure is an approximate number or estimate, not an exact one.
- take the mickey To take the mickey means to mock someone or tease them in an unkind or cheeky way.
- cheap as chips Very cheap; costing very little money.
More idioms
- Bob's your uncle Used to say that something will be easy or will happen exactly as expected after a simple step.
- close but no cigar Used to say someone almost succeeded but did not quite achieve the goal.
- down to the wire Used to say something is decided or finished only at the last possible moment.
- lost the plot To become confused or behave in a way that no longer makes sense.
- ducks in a row To have everything organized and ready for action.