costly

cost·ly

adjective \ˈkȯs(t)-lē\

: having a high price : costing a lot

: causing people to lose something or to suffer

cost·li·ercost·li·est

Full Definition of COSTLY

1

a :  commanding a high price especially because of intrinsic worth <costly gems>

b :  rich, splendid

2

:  made or done at heavy expense or sacrifice <a costly mistake>

— cost·li·ness noun

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Examples of COSTLY

1. We use less costly materials in our products.
2. It was too costly to fix her car after the accident, so she decided to buy a new car instead.
3. They won the game, but their best player was injured, so it was a costly victory.
4. The decision to wait could be a costly mistake.

First Known Use of COSTLY

14th century

Related to COSTLY

Synonyms

big-ticket, dear, expensive, extravagant, high, high-end, high-ticket, precious, premium, priceless, pricey (also pricy), spendy [chiefly Northwest], ultraexpensive, valuable

Antonyms

cheap, inexpensive

Related Words

exorbitant, overpriced, prohibitive, sky-high, steep, stiff, unaffordable, uneconomic (or uneconomical), unreasonable; inestimable, invaluable; deluxe, luxurious, sumptuous

Near Antonyms

moderate, reasonable; valueless, worthless; discounted

Other Economics Terms

actuary, compound interest, globalization, indemnity, portfolio, rentier, stagflation, usurer

Rhymes with COSTLY

crossly