costly

adjective

cost·​ly ˈkȯs(t)-lē 

costlier; costliest

1

a

: commanding a high price especially because of intrinsic worth

costly gems

b

: rich, splendid

2

: made or done at heavy expense or sacrifice

a costly mistake

costliness noun

Synonyms

• big-ticket
• dear
• expensive
• extravagant
• high
• high-end
• high-ticket
• precious
• premium
• priceless
• pricey
• pricy
• spendy [chiefly Northwest]
• ultraexpensive
• valuable

Examples of costly in a Sentence

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.

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

This cash reserve also acts as an emotional buffer, reducing the anxiety that can lead to impulsive, costly decisions. —John Jennings, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024

The company is pushing a dozen potential top-selling medicines through costly clinical trials. —Alena Botros, Fortune Europe, 25 Oct. 2024

After limited resources had initially stalled the investigation, the organization assisted with the costly work on this cold case. —Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 25 Oct. 2024

Emphasis on profits proves costly Problems with the quality and safety of Boeing’s planes have been well documented over the past five years. —Chris Isidore and Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN, 24 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

costly

adjective

cost·​ly ˈkȯs(t)-lē 

costlier; costliest

1

: of great cost or value

costly furs

2

: gained at great expense or sacrifice

a costly victory

costliness noun