costlier; costliest
1
: having a high price : costing a lot : expensive
costly jewelry
We use less costly materials in our products.
It was too costly to fix her car after the accident, so she decided to buy a new car instead.
2
: causing people to lose something or to suffer
They won the game, but their best player was injured, so it was a costly victory.
The decision to wait could be a costly mistake.
Cite this Entry
“Costly.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/costly. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
Copy Citation
