Synonyms of thrifty

thrifty

adjective

ˈthrif-tē 

as in economical

careful in the management of money or resources

if you are thrifty, you can find ways to decorate your room stylishly yet inexpensively

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word thrifty distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of thrifty are economical, frugal, and sparing. While all these words mean "careful in the use of one's money or resources," thrifty stresses good management and industry.

thrifty use of nonrenewable resources

When is economical a more appropriate choice than thrifty?

Although the words economical and thrifty have much in common, economical stresses prudent management, lack of wastefulness, and use of things to their best advantage.

an economical health-care plan

When can frugal be used instead of thrifty?

The meanings of frugal and thrifty largely overlap; however, frugal implies absence of luxury and simplicity of lifestyle.

ran a frugal household

When would sparing be a good substitute for thrifty?

The words sparing and thrifty can be used in similar contexts, but sparing stresses abstention and restraint.

sparing in the offering of advice

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of thrifty

Wholesale clubs can be a particularly thrifty move for large or multiple families who can divvy up bulk supplies. —Kate Gibson, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2024

Chinese netizens largely praised Ye for being thrifty, mirroring the preference among Chinese consumers for cheap thrills amid a slow economic recovery. —Denni Hu, WWD, 17 Sep. 2024

BOBs, as they were known, were thrifty, embraced a D.I.Y. ethos, and valued function over prestige. —Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024

In the last five years alone, the traditional cable, satellite and telco-TV players have lost 36.3 million subscribers, and even when thriftier vMVPD offerings are tossed into the mix, there are still 24.3 million homes that have cut the cord and never looked back. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 26 July 2024