false economy

noun

: something that costs less at first but results in more money being spent later

Using cheap materials proved to be a false economy.

Examples of false economy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Committing to buying an iPhone 17 in late 2026 may be a false economy. — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026

Cutting education or health services to close a deficit is a false economy. — Mona Darwish, Oc Register, 6 May 2026

However, rushing it into production could be something of a false economy. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 26 Apr. 2026

Europe’s is a false economy, spending less now, but risking spending far more if the conflict spreads in the future. — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 24 Feb. 2026

The left more broadly says that deterrence without due process is a false economy and a legal minefield. — Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025

The False Economy of Customer Labor Self-checkout represents a false economy for retailers. — Roger Dooley, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025

Rhymes for false economy

• aeronomy
• agronomy
• astronomy
• autonomy
• gastronomy
• metonymy
• taxonomy
• deuteronomy