3

What is an antonym or popularly used phrase meaning the opposite of low-ball used to refer to a price?

Improve this question
2
  • You ask this like its a given there is one. Not every word or phrase has an antonym.
    – T.E.D.
    Commented Aug 26, 2011 at 13:21
  • I rephrased it.
    – H2ONaCl
    Commented Aug 27, 2011 at 0:06

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
1

According to Wiktionary, the answer is highball.

Improve this answer
3

"Lowball" means:

To give (a customer) a deceptively low price or cost estimate that one has no intention of honoring or to prepare a cost estimate deliberately and misleadingly low.
To make an offer well below an item's true value, often to take advantage of the seller's desperation or desire to sell the item quickly.

Thus, the direct opposite would have to be "Highball" :

To make an estimate which tends toward exaggeration.

Improve this answer
2
  • I never heard anybody say "highball" (in reference to a price) but still it could be right.
    – H2ONaCl
    Commented Aug 26, 2011 at 12:07
  • 1
    I'm surprised, it's pretty common (relative to lowball, at least).
    – Charles
    Commented Aug 26, 2011 at 17:05
2

I would suggest the word gouge. It means to overcharge, as in "price gouging".

Improve this answer
5
  • Thanks for your answer. Please remember to include a reference to your answers to make them more reliable. (:
    – Neeku
    Commented Aug 23, 2014 at 20:06
  • When someone low-balls it means that they bid much less than the generally accepted fair market price. That is, the buyer is the one doing the low-balling. The opposite, therefore, must be when the buyer overbids.
    – Jim
    Commented Aug 24, 2014 at 1:37
  • Okay. But low-balling implies deliberate underbidding. When would one ever deliberately overbid?
    – rmp251
    Commented Aug 24, 2014 at 2:13
  • Perhaps when they want to discourage everyone else from even attempting to bid. Maybe I want to buy a house. I know others are interested as well so I make an offer at more than asking price.
    – Jim
    Commented Aug 24, 2014 at 4:16
  • I see. I guess there are two types of situations to consider. One is a public auction, where other bidders are present, in which case lowballing and highballing are strategies for a potential buyer, and gouging isn't applicable. The other is when dealing with one-on-one negotiations, like bargaining. In that case, lowballing is a buyer strategy, and gouging is a seller strategy, and highballing doesn't really apply.
    – rmp251
    Commented Aug 24, 2014 at 20:02

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .