economize

American  

[ih-kon-uh-mahyz] / ɪˈkɒn əˌmaɪz /

especially British, economise

verb (used without object)

economized, economizing

1. to practice economy; avoid waste or extravagance.

   Synonyms:

   husband, conserve, save

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verb (used with object)

economized, economizing

1. to manage economically; use sparingly or frugally.

   Synonyms:

   husband, conserve, save

economize British  

/ ɪˈkɒnəˌmaɪz /

verb

1. (often foll by on) to limit or reduce (expense, waste, etc)

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Other Word Forms

• economization noun
• uneconomizing adjective

Etymology

Origin of economize

First recorded in 1640–50; econom(y) + -ize

Example Sentences

Rubino says she’s aiming to economize as much as possible — and that means everything from buying lower-priced candy in bulk to reusing baskets from previous Easters.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

He pointed to resilient consumer spending, continued business investment, and rising productivity, while acknowledging pressure on lower-income households that are trading down and trying to economize.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

“Our strategy is to economize on the less important stuff but never save money on the stuff that really matters,” said Terekh, who used to run a company manufacturing furniture for Ukraine’s middle class.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

In France, we really had to economize how we shoot things.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2025

Helen continued to look for work, and to economize.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen

Related Words

• conserve
• cut down
• scrimp