Synonyms of frugal

frugal

adjective

ˈfrü-gəl 

as in economical

careful in the management of money or resources

by being frugal, the family is able to stretch its monthly budget

Synonyms & Similar Words

• economical
• economizing
• thrifty
• saving
• prudent
• provident
• conserving
• sparing
• preserving
• cheap
• scrimping
• foresighted
• penny-wise
• parsimonious
• miserly
• forehanded
• tightfisted
• penurious
• stingy
• spare
• close
• pinching
• foresightful
• penny-pinching
• mean
• tight
• stinting
• closefisted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• wasteful
• spendthrift
• profligate
• prodigal
• unthrifty
• improvident
• generous
• liberal
• shortsighted
• charitable
• thriftless
• unselfish
• bountiful
• munificent
• squandering
• extravagant
• unsparing
• indulgent
• lavish
• openhanded
• freehanded

Synonym Chooser

How is the word frugal distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of frugal are economical, sparing, and thrifty. While all these words mean "careful in the use of one's money or resources," frugal implies absence of luxury and simplicity of lifestyle.

ran a frugal household

When might economical be a better fit than frugal?

The synonyms economical and frugal are sometimes interchangeable, but economical stresses prudent management, lack of wastefulness, and use of things to their best advantage.

an economical health-care plan

In what contexts can sparing take the place of frugal?

While in some cases nearly identical to frugal, sparing stresses abstention and restraint.

sparing in the offering of advice

When is thrifty a more appropriate choice than frugal?

The words thrifty and frugal can be used in similar contexts, but thrifty stresses good management and industry.

thrifty use of nonrenewable resources

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of frugal

Although it’s been made it was made on a frugal budget, none of that diminishes the power and enjoyment of this original and inspired indie from a team that just keeps making one good genre film after another. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 8 June 2026

Super frugal use of memory bandwidth, caching exactly what is needed & squeezing microseconds out of everything are needed to maintain the frame rate. — Jack Ewing, New York Times, 2 June 2026

The History Of Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate Turns out, frozen orange juice concentrate—particularly the beloved Minute Maid variety—became insanely popular during the 1950s and 1960s, when frugal house-making and frozen foods reigned supreme. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 May 2026

Members expressed the need to be frugal in this process because of that. — Natalie La Roche Pietri, Miami Herald, 16 May 2026

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