A dime a dozen means very common, everywhere you look, and so nothing special: Those souvenir magnets are a dime a dozen near the station. A dime is a ten-cent coin, and a dozen for one is almost free. The phrase is American and a little dismissive: about someone's work or people, it stings. British English also has ten a penny.
When would you say a dime a dozen?
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something is / things are a dime a dozen
- Generic travel tips are a dime a dozen; local knowledge is harder to find.
- Those souvenir magnets are a dime a dozen near the station.
- Promises are a dime a dozen, but she actually followed through.
What changed
First versionUnoriginal slogans are dime a dozen online.
RevisionUnoriginal slogans are a dime a dozen online.
A dozen already has a, so a second a can look like one too many. But the idiom keeps both: a dime a dozen, ten cents for a dozen. Add a before dime, and the expression is whole.
Common simply means often found, with no judgment. A dime a dozen means found everywhere and therefore worth little: Promises are a dime a dozen. Few and far between is the opposite: rare.
Your turn
These designs are everywhere and nothing special. They are ___.
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a dime a dozen — The designs are everywhere and nothing special, so a dime a dozen. Few and far between would mean they're rare.
Name something there's far too much of, like a type of advice or product, and say what's actually missing. Use a dime a dozen.
Lists of famous sights are a dime a dozen, but this guide explains how to avoid the queues.
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