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

These burdensome energy bills are far more costly than what experts suggest households should spend on their utilities every month. —David S. Lapp, Baltimore Sun, 25 Dec. 2024

No single insurer can tackle the costly challenges of climate risk alone. —Mindy Lubber, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024

One costly mistake from rookie quarterback Drake Maye in the fourth quarter let the Bills take advantage to pick up the 24-21 win. —Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 24 Dec. 2024

Fighting here began last spring and it's been bitter and costly to both sides. —Brian Mann, NPR, 24 Dec. 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