Meaning & use
the thrift store
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountableAmerican
A shop that sells second-hand clothes and goods, often to raise money for charity.
Grammar: Countable noun; use a/an or the, and plural thrift stores. Often used with the definite article: the thrift store on Main Street.
Patterns
- at the thrift store
- shop at a thrift store
- donate something to a thrift store
I found a vintage jacket at the thrift store for just five dollars.
She volunteers at the thrift store every Saturday morning.
The thrift store raises money for a local homeless shelter.
Word forms
| plural | thrift stores |
|---|
Common combinations
- shop at a thrift store
- They prefer to shop at a thrift store to save money and help the environment.
- donate to a thrift store
- We donated our old books and clothes to a thrift store.
- a local thrift store
- The local thrift store is having a half-price sale this weekend.
- thrift store find
- That painting was a great thrift store find.
Synonyms and how they differ
- charity shop
- The usual British term for a shop selling second-hand goods to raise money for charity; thrift store is the American equivalent.
- second-hand shop
- A more general term for any shop selling used goods; it may not be run for charity.
- consignment shop
- A shop that sells used items on behalf of owners for a share of the profit; unlike a thrift store, it is usually for-profit.
Word family
Commonly confused: the thrift store or thrift?
the thrift store vs thrift
Thrift means being careful with money, while a thrift store is a shop selling second-hand goods.
Practice
What is the best definition of a thrift store?
Choose one answer.
A thrift store sells used items, often to raise money for charity. The other options describe different types of shops.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “the thrift store”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.