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

Walter anticipates that more students will opt for more cost-effective education paths, like starting with a two-year community college associate degree before transferring to a four-year university, or attending schools closer to home to reduce housing expenses. —Rachel Hale, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025

By combining robotics and environmental science, the researchers are creating cost-effective tools that improve data collection. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025

The price could be an understandable turn-off, but this is still one of the most cost-effective ways to buy into the Loewe brand. —Amina Ayoud, Glamour, 3 Sep. 2025

And this approach saves you money in the long run, too, because retaining an existing customer through great service is far more cost-effective than finding a new one. —Michael Goshka, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cost-effective

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