Meaning & use
dimes and nickels
Last updated
Meanings
phraseplural
Small amounts of money, especially in coins; often used in negative statements to mean very little money.
Grammar: Used as a plural noun phrase; it does not take a singular form in this meaning.
Patterns
- not worth dimes and nickels
- cost dimes and nickels
He works hard but earns dimes and nickels.
The old radio isn't worth dimes and nickels now.
She saved dimes and nickels in a jar for a rainy day.
phraseplural
Literal coins: ten-cent coins (dimes) and five-cent coins (nickels).
Grammar: Refers to actual coins; often used when counting or sorting change.
Patterns
- count dimes and nickels
- collect dimes and nickels
The cashier gave me change in dimes and nickels.
My piggy bank is full of dimes and nickels.
Word forms
| singular | dime and nickel |
|---|
Common combinations
- not worth a dime
- That broken toy is not worth a dime.
- a dime a dozen
- Those souvenirs are a dime a dozen in this city.
- nickel and dime
- The company nickel and dimes its customers with hidden fees.
- dimes and nickels
- He paid for the candy with dimes and nickels.
Synonyms and how they differ
- small change
- Refers to coins of low value in general, not specifically dimes and nickels.
- pennies
- Used in British English for small amounts of money; in American English, pennies are one-cent coins.
Commonly confused: dimes and nickels or dime? dimes and nickels or nickel?
dimes and nickels vs dime
A dime is a ten-cent coin; the phrase 'dimes and nickels' includes both ten-cent and five-cent coins.
dimes and nickels vs nickel
A nickel is a five-cent coin; the phrase 'dimes and nickels' includes both.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'dimes and nickels' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option 1 is correct because it refers to actual coins used to buy a small item. Option 0 is wrong because cars are too expensive to buy with small coins. Option 2 is wrong because 'dimes and nickels' is not used as a price label. Option 3 is wrong because it mixes singular and plural forms in a way that is not the fixed phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dimes and nickels”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.