cost-effective

adjective

cost-ef·​fec·​tive ˈkȯst-ə-ˈfek-tiv 

-ˌfek-

: producing good results without costing a lot of money

cost-effective measures to combat poverty

Robot spot welding can be quite cost-effective …

—Harry H. Poole

cost-effectiveness noun

Examples of cost-effective in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Across Europe and North America, a growing number of companies have concluded that electrifying the trailer, rather than replacing the tractor unit, may be the fastest and most cost-effective path to decarbonizing long-haul freight. — IEEE Spectrum, 8 July 2026

Building every capability internally is not always the most efficient or cost-effective approach. — Rob Falzon, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

The system provides utilities with a cost-effective, practical tool that can react instantly to unexpected disruptions. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026

Ivan Demidov’s extension, signed a year early, is the new piece to the puzzle of cost-effective long-term contracts signed early. — Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 6 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cost-effective

• imperfective
• ineffective
• intellective
• introspective
• irrespective
• nondirective
• nonselective
• retrospective
• unreflective
• advective
• affective
• collective