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

"In Australia, more than one in 10 houses in Australia are situated in flood zones. Flooding from intense rainfall and overflowing rivers is the most common and costliest natural disaster," said Associate Professor Shi.

From Science Daily

Desalination is costly, presenting problems for low-income regions that have the biggest issues with water access.

From Science Daily

"We think this will be a valuable tool for treating heart failure by promoting care at home and potentially reducing the need for costly hospital admissions and readmissions," Bensimhon said.

From Science Daily

With special schools also at capacity, the education consultant said local authorities were being forced to pay for costly independent schools.

From BBC

After the Clippers’ 10-point lead was cut to three, a costly turnover in the final seconds nearly sent the game into overtime.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• catastrophic
• disastrous
• ruinous