costly

adjective

cost·​ly ˈkȯs(t)-lē How to pronounce costly (audio)
costlier; costliest
1
a
: commanding a high price especially because of intrinsic worth
costly gems
b
2
: made or done at heavy expense or sacrifice
a costly mistake
costliness noun

Examples of costly in a Sentence

We use less costly materials in our products. It was too costly to fix her car after the accident, so she decided to buy a new car instead. They won the game, but their best player was injured, so it was a costly victory. The decision to wait could be a costly mistake.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An example of this could be quality control, where a supply chain disruption can have massive (and costly) downstream effects. Ed Jennings, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025 Without proper maintenance, homeowners could face more costly problems down the line. Rachel Barber, USA Today, 11 July 2025 The organization is currently operating out of two storage units, which Hansford said is costly. Lillian Metzmeier, The Courier-Journal, 10 July 2025 The University of California’s California Health Benefits Review Program last October already tallied 95 costly state health-insurance mandates. The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 9 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for costly

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of costly was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Costly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/costly. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

costly

adjective
cost·​ly ˈkȯs(t)-lē How to pronounce costly (audio)
costlier; costliest
1
: of great cost or value
costly furs
2
: gained at great expense or sacrifice
a costly victory
costliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on costly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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