economical

adjective

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eco·nom·i·cal | \ ˌe-kə-ˈnä-mi-kəl

, ˌē-kə- \

Definition of economical

1 : marked by careful, efficient, and prudent use of resources : thrifty an economical shopper

2 : operating with little waste or at a saving an economical car

3 archaic : economic sense 5

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about economical

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Choose the Right Synonym for economical

sparing, frugal, thrifty, economical mean careful in the use of one's money or resources. sparing stresses abstention and restraint. sparing in the offering of advice frugal implies absence of luxury and simplicity of lifestyle. ran a frugal household thrifty stresses good management and industry. thrifty use of nonrenewable resources economical stresses prudent management, lack of wastefulness, and use of things to their best advantage. an economical health-care plan

Examples of economical in a Sentence

an economical way to heat your house a practical and economical solution to the problem

Recent Examples on the Web In their quest to observe the first ultrahigh-energy neutrino, astrophysicists have instead shifted focus to the more economical approach of radio detection. — Katrina Miller, Scientific American, "Searching for the Universe’s Most Energetic Particles, Astronomers Turn on the Radio," 27 Apr. 2021 For those looking for more economical solutions, there are ways to introduce more fire safety to a three-decker, the fire experts interviewed said. — BostonGlobe.com, "Saving an icon and ourselves," 25 Apr. 2021 Reusable booster vehicles, designed to fly themselves back to Earth and land safely rather than fall into the sea after launch, are at the heart of a re-usable rocket strategy that SpaceX helped pioneer to make spaceflight more economical. — NBC News, "Astronauts dock at International Space Station aboard SpaceX Endeavour," 24 Apr. 2021 The platform companies often reduce their service areas for restaurants as well in order to make deliveries more economical, further reducing demand. — Ike Brannon, Forbes, "Price Caps On Food Delivery Apps Only Exacerbate Restaurant Revenue Problems In The Pandemic," 16 Apr. 2021 Larger jars and packages are more economical, and my favorite instant yeast, SAF Red, is most often sold in 1-pound bags. — Washington Post, "7 foods you should be storing in the freezer, including yeast, nuts and peppers," 5 Apr. 2021 Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier: available at Home Depot and AmazonThis wildly popular option is also very economical. — Angie Parkinson, chicagotribune.com, "Health benefits of humidifiers," 4 Apr. 2021 As a part of the plan, APS agreed to undertake an outreach program to ensure ratepayers were choosing the most economical plan for them. — Cole Lauterbach, Washington Examiner, "Many Arizona utility customers to receive part of $24M APS legal settlement," 23 Feb. 2021 That allowed five units to be built, up from four, making the project more economical, Andersen said. — Alex Demarban, Anchorage Daily News, "New ‘cottages’ near downtown Anchorage seen as one possible solution to city’s housing shortage," 4 Apr. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'economical.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

8 May 2021

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“Economical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/economical. Accessed 9 May. 2021.

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More Definitions for economical

economical

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of economical

: using money, resources, etc., carefully

—used to describe a product that is not expensive to own and use

See the full definition for economical in the English Language Learners Dictionary

economical

adjective

eco·nom·i·cal | \ ˌe-kə-ˈnä-mi-kəl

, ˌē- \

Kids Definition of economical

1 : using what is available carefully and without waste : frugal economical cooking

2 : operating with little waste an economical car

Choose the Right Synonym for economical

economical, thrifty, and sparing mean careful in the use of money or goods. economical means using things in the best possible way without wasting anything. She's an economical cook who feeds us well. thrifty is used when someone manages things well and is industrious. A thrifty shopper can save money. sparing is used when someone spends or uses as little as possible. They are very sparing in giving money to charity.