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

But Claunch said the team is working on follow-ups and trying to figure out a cost-effective and easy method to help Floridians deal with the reptilian invasion. — Alex Harris august 25, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026

Processing data in large batches was more cost-effective and efficient. — Dr. Saheer Nelliparamban, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Under the hood, the component loadout is budget-focused but still capable, with a cost-effective Intel Core 3 processor more than enough to handle schoolwork. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026

Mag’s mother continued cooking on a woodstove where heat was cost-effective and human-powered. — Destenie Nock, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 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