costly
adjective
cost·ly
ˈkȯs(t)-lē 
costlier; costliest
2
: made or done at heavy expense or sacrifice
a costly mistake
costliness
noun
Synonyms
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
Here's how Stocks that could move, the biggest donors, jobs for Jamie Dimon and Elon Musk: Election news roundup
Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway has enough cash to buy Target, Starbucks, and Nike
The result brings an end to a costly chapter in what had already been a difficult year for Boeing.
—
Melvin Backman, Quartz, 5 Nov. 2024
The Dornoch Dancer Surrounded by water as Scotland is, and given the nature of the DEEP project, a significant expense over several years was the constant costly demand to book boats.
—Louise Schiavone, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
The team cited a number of reasons why Trump was seen as the clear favorite while Biden was seeking reelection and then pointed as the potentially costly mistakes the former president has made since Harris has taken over the Democratic ticket.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
During the costly walkout, Boeing's CEO announced the company would slash 10% of its workforce, roughly 17,000 workers, and would delay deliveries of its 777X jet until 2026.
—Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for costly 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Melvin Backman, Quartz, 5 Nov. 2024
The Dornoch Dancer Surrounded by water as Scotland is, and given the nature of the DEEP project, a significant expense over several years was the constant costly demand to book boats.
—Louise Schiavone, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
The team cited a number of reasons why Trump was seen as the clear favorite while Biden was seeking reelection and then pointed as the potentially costly mistakes the former president has made since Harris has taken over the Democratic ticket.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
During the costly walkout, Boeing's CEO announced the company would slash 10% of its workforce, roughly 17,000 workers, and would delay deliveries of its 777X jet until 2026.
—Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for costly
Dictionary Entries Near costly
Cite this Entry
“Costly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/costly. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share