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

The human layer is the most cost-effective target on an adversary's balance sheet, and anxiety around these models represents another way to attack. — Kevin Tian, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Sealing these leaks is often one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce energy waste. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson july 29, Sacbee.com, 29 July 2026

This is one of many ways that AI could make education more cost-effective and personalized, which could drive up demand for teachers and bolster their wages. — Daron Acemoglu, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026

If affordability, rapid deployment, and cost-effective precision strikes are the priority, the Bayraktar TB2 offers exceptional value while requiring far less infrastructure. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 26 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