costly

adjective

cost·​ly ˈkȯs(t)-lē 

costlier; costliest

1

a

: commanding a high price especially because of intrinsic worth

costly gems

b

: rich, splendid

2

: made or done at heavy expense or sacrifice

a costly mistake

costliness noun

Synonyms

• big-ticket
• dear
• expensive
• extravagant
• high
• high-end
• high-ticket
• precious
• premium
• priceless
• pricey
• pricy
• spendy [chiefly Northwest]
• ultraexpensive
• valuable

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

The Palisades and Eaton fires have burned more than 12,000 structures and are expected to be the most costly fires in American history, with estimates ranging from $50 billion to $150 billion. —Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2025

The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) lists hundreds of costly disasters that occurred from 1980 through 2024. —Alex Nitzberg, Fox News, 12 Jan. 2025

With thousands of structures damaged or destroyed, experts say the toll could reach more than $150 billion, making these fires among the costliest natural disasters in American history. —ABC News, 12 Jan. 2025

Two federal laws—if fully utilized—could significantly reduce the number of prisoners in costly institutions: the Second Chance Act and the First Step Act. —Walter Pavlo, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Kids Definition

costly

adjective

cost·​ly ˈkȯs(t)-lē 

costlier; costliest

1

: of great cost or value

costly furs

2

: gained at great expense or sacrifice

a costly victory

costliness noun