Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Of poor quality; cheap and shoddy: Describes something that is made or done with little care, using inferior materials or methods, primarily to save money.

2. Noun:

   • A seller of cheap, low-quality goods: Refers to a peddler or merchant, often itinerant, who sells inferior merchandise.

Examples

• Adjective:

  • The furniture looked nice online, but it turned out to be cheapjack and fell apart within a month.
  • He was known for his cheapjack tactics, cutting corners on every project.

• Noun:

  • The market was full of cheapjacks selling counterfeit watches and perfumes.
  • Don't buy electronics from that cheapjack; his products never last.

Advanced Usage

• Used attributively: Often used directly before a noun to criticize the quality of the thing itself.
  • It was a cheapjack operation from the start, with no concern for safety or durability.

Variants and Related Words

• Cheap (adj): Low in price; also can imply poor quality.
• Shoddy (adj): Badly made or done.
• Huckster (n): A person who sells small goods, can imply aggressive or dishonest selling.

Synonyms

• Adjective: Shoddy, inferior, trashy, tawdry, junky.
• Noun: Peddler, hawker, huckster, vendor (specifically of low-quality goods).

Related Phrases

• Cheapjack merchandise: Goods that are of very low quality.
  • The stall was piled high with cheapjack merchandise.
• Cheapjack workmanship: Poor quality in how something is made or built.
  • The house's problems were due to cheapjack workmanship.

Adjective

1. cheap and shoddy
   • cheapjack moviemaking...that feeds on the low taste of the mob- Judith Crist

Noun

1. a peddler of inferior goods