costly
Americanadjective
-
costing much; expensive; high in price.
a costly emerald bracelet; costly medical care.
- Synonyms:
- high-priced, dear
-
resulting in great expense.
The upkeep of such a large house is costly.
-
resulting in great detriment.
It was a costly mistake because no one ever trusted him again.
-
of great value; very valuable; sumptuous.
-
lavish; extravagant.
adjective
-
of great price or value; expensive
-
entailing great loss or sacrifice
a costly victory
-
splendid; lavish
Related Words
See expensive.
Other Word Forms
- costliness noun
- overcostliness noun
- overcostly adjective
- uncostly adjective
Etymology
Origin of costly
First recorded in 1350–1400, costly is from the Middle English word costli. See cost, -ly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The simulation technician rushed forward, all fluttery hands and big worried eyes as he tried untangling me from the costly machinery before my temper could do any real damage.
From Literature
But activity in the fog of war is costly.
While clubs and players might consider taking the creators of AI images to court, it is a long and costly fight.
From BBC
That’s especially true in counties where homes tend to be larger, winters are colder or electricity is costly.
From Los Angeles Times
Meanwhile, the surgeon general oversees the more than 6,000-member Public Health Service Commissioned Corps—a uniformed service whose deployment is slower and more costly than civilian alternatives.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
