costly

adjective

cost·​ly ˈkȯs(t)-lē How to pronounce costly (audio)
costlier; costliest
1
a
: commanding a high price especially because of intrinsic worth
costly gems
b
2
: made or done at heavy expense or sacrifice
a costly mistake
costliness noun

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 Not only were mothers using costly formula to replace breast milk, which would have given their babies better immunity, but the water parents mixed milk powder with was sometimes contaminated, leading to life-threatening bacterial infections and diarrhea. Heather Vogell, ProPublica, 21 Mar. 2024 But Take Note One of the biggest downsides to an instant camera is replacing film, which can become costly depending on how often your child takes photos. Alesandra Dubin, Parents, 20 Mar. 2024 But the federal agency argues that accepting cash is costly and time-consuming. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Learning how to clean air filters is a key part of regular maintenance that can keep the system running smoothly and ward off a costly breakdown. Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Mar. 2024 According to Sky News, this is the most costly Olympic construction project yet. Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 18 Mar. 2024 Countries, including the United States, have taken to air dropping aid — a costly and dangerous procedure — while President Biden has announced plans for the U.S. military to construct a floating pier off Gaza’s coast — something that could take up to 60 days to construct. Adela Suliman, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024 The major studios spent much of that time locked in labor disputes with the leading actors and writers unions, which led to two costly strikes that ground film production to a standstill. Jordan Moreau, Variety, 10 Mar. 2024 The plan welcomes undocumented people, who currently must rely on a costly and hard-to-navigate private market, into the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, where coverage is often less expensive. Katie Shepherd, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'costly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of costly was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near costly

Cite this Entry

“Costly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/costly. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

costly

adjective
cost·​ly ˈkȯs(t)-lē How to pronounce costly (audio)
costlier; costliest
1
: of great cost or value
costly furs
2
: gained at great expense or sacrifice
a costly victory
costliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on costly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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