costly

[ kawst-lee, kost- ]

adjective

, cost·li·er, cost·li·est.

1. costing much; expensive; high in price:

   a costly emerald bracelet; costly medical care.

   Synonyms: high-priced, dear

2. resulting in great expense:

   The upkeep of such a large house is costly.

3. resulting in great detriment:

   It was a costly mistake because no one ever trusted him again.

4. of great value; very valuable; sumptuous.
5. lavish; extravagant.

costly

/ ˈkɒstlɪ /

adjective

1. of great price or value; expensive
2. entailing great loss or sacrifice

   a costly victory

3. splendid; lavish

Derived Forms

• ˈcostliness, noun

Other Words From

• costli·ness noun
• over·costli·ness noun
• over·costly adjective
• un·costly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of costly¹

First recorded in 1350–1400, costly is from the Middle English word costli. See cost, -ly

Synonym Study

See expensive.

Example Sentences

Gabbard, who served in the Hawaii National Guard and then joined an Army reserve unit that was deployed to Iraq, has said that her skepticism of intervention was rooted in her experience from serving in a war that she saw as unnecessary and costly.

From Salon

These individually managed funds are divided by local authority, making it more costly, because each fund is paying its own management and administration fees.

From BBC

In a staff report, it said it would probably prove too costly for many developers and could significantly reduce the construction of housing, including units that are mandated to have rent affordable for low-income households, not merely rent-stabilized.

From Los Angeles Times

Some environmental groups worry nuclear projects are too costly and come with timelines that do not meet the urgency of the climate crisis.

From BBC

But the desire to avoid costly wars is clearly a selective calculation.

From Salon

Related Words

• catastrophic
• disastrous
• ruinous