megabuck: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, journalism, business
Quick answer
What does “megabuck” mean?
One million dollars.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
One million dollars; a very large sum of money, often used to indicate financial scale.
A single unit of currency representing a vast sum; used to describe budgets, profits, losses, or deals involving very high amounts of money.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term originated in US English and is used more frequently there. In UK English, while understood, it is less common and may be perceived as an Americanism. 'Million pounds' or just 'million' is more typical in UK contexts.
Connotations
In both varieties, it connotes large-scale, often corporate or governmental, finance. It can have a slightly sensationalist or hyperbolic tone.
Frequency
High frequency in US business/finance journalism. Low to medium frequency in UK English, mostly in contexts influenced by American media or discussing US finances.
Grammar
How to Use “megabuck” in a Sentence
[determiner] + megabuck + noun (e.g., a megabuck deal)verb + megabucks (e.g., cost megabucks)preposition + megabucks (e.g., in the megabucks)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “megabuck” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- They're involved in some megabuck property development in London.
American English
- The studio is known for its megabuck superhero film franchises.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Common in headlines and reports about large corporate deals, mergers, or executive salaries (e.g., 'The CEO secured a megabuck severance package').
Academic
Rare; considered too informal for scholarly economic or financial writing.
Everyday
Used hyperbolically to describe expensive purchases (e.g., 'That new car must have cost megabucks').
Technical
Not used in precise financial or accounting contexts where exact figures are required.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “megabuck”
- Using it as a formal financial term (incorrect). Using 'megabucks' with a singular verb (e.g., 'Megabucks is spent' – should be 'are spent'). Confusing it with 'megabyte'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily, no. It's strongly associated with US dollars. While it might be understood contextually for other currencies, it's non-standard. For pounds, 'million quid' is a closer informal equivalent.
It can be both. 'A megabuck' means one million dollars. 'Megabucks' (always plural) means an unspecified but very large amount of money (e.g., 'He made megabucks').
'Megabuck' specifies a unit of one million dollars or is used as an adjective ('a megabuck deal'). 'Big bucks' is a vaguer, plural-only term meaning a large, often impressive, sum of money.
No, it is informal. It is common in journalism and business slang but should be avoided in formal reports, academic writing, or legal documents where 'million dollars' or the relevant currency is required.
One million dollars.
Megabuck: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmeɡəbʌk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmeɡəbʌk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[He/She/They] are in the megabucks.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of MEGA (meaning very large) and BUCK (slang for dollar). A 'megabuck' is a mega-dollar.
Conceptual Metaphor
MONEY IS A MEASURABLE OBJECT (counted in discrete 'bucks'), and LARGE AMOUNTS ARE LARGE PHYSICAL ENTITIES (mega-sized).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'megabuck' LEAST appropriate?