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Meaning & use

thrifted

adjective, verb·Everydayinformal

Last updated

UK/ˈθrɪftɪd/
US/ˈθrɪftɪd/

“thrifted” is a form of “thrift”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Meanings

  1. adjectivebefore a nouninformal

    Bought from a thrift store or second-hand shop; previously owned by someone else.

    Grammar: Used before a noun: a thrifted jacket, thrifted furniture.

    Patterns

    • thrifted clothes
    • thrifted furniture

    She wore a thrifted denim jacket to the party.

    All the furniture in my apartment is thrifted.

    He found a thrifted lamp for only five dollars.

  2. verbtransitive or intransitiveinformal

    Past tense and past participle of thrift: to buy things second-hand, especially to save money.

    Grammar: Takes an object when you say what you bought: She thrifted a dress. Can also be used without an object: They thrift every weekend.

    Patterns

    • thrift something
    • thrift for something

    Last weekend I thrifted a vintage coat for twenty dollars.

    They have thrifted most of their kitchenware.

    She thrifts for bargains at local charity shops.

Word forms

third person singularthrifts
past tensethrifted
past participlethrifted
-ing formthrifting

Common combinations

thrifted clothing
She sells thrifted clothing online.
thrifted find
That chair was an amazing thrifted find.
thrifted look
His thrifted look is very stylish.
thrifted items
The store specializes in thrifted items.

Synonyms and how they differ

second-hand
More formal and general; can describe anything previously owned, not just items from a thrift store.
used
Neutral and common; simply means not new, but does not imply a thrift store.
pre-owned
A polite, slightly formal term often used in ads for cars or expensive items.

Opposites

new

Word family

thrift noun
The practice of saving money or buying second-hand; also a thrift store.
thrifty adjective
Careful with money; not wasteful.
thrifting noun
The activity of shopping at thrift stores.

Commonly confused: thrifted or thrift?

thrifted vs thrift

Thrift is the base verb or noun; thrifted is the past tense or adjective. Don't say 'I thrift a shirt yesterday'; say 'I thrifted a shirt yesterday.'

Practice

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