thrifty

adjective

ˈthrif-tē 

thriftier; thriftiest

1

: given to or marked by economy and good management

2

: thriving by industry and frugality : prosperous

3

: growing vigorously

thriftily

ˈthrif-tə-lē 

adverb

thriftiness

ˈthrif-tē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• economical
• economizing
• frugal
• provident
• scrimping
• sparing

Choose the Right Synonym for thrifty

sparing, frugal, thrifty, economical mean careful in the use of one's money or resources.

sparing stresses abstention and restraint.

sparing in the offering of advice

frugal implies absence of luxury and simplicity of lifestyle.

ran a frugal household

thrifty stresses good management and industry.

thrifty use of nonrenewable resources

economical stresses prudent management, lack of wastefulness, and use of things to their best advantage.

an economical health care plan

Examples of thrifty in a Sentence

if you are thrifty, you can find ways to decorate your room stylishly yet inexpensively

Recent Examples on the Web

Its unique design adds dimension and a thrifty style to any room. —Hannah Rice, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2024

Wholesale clubs can be a particularly thrifty move for large or multiple families who can divvy up bulk supplies. —Kate Gibson, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2024

Chinese netizens largely praised Ye for being thrifty, mirroring the preference among Chinese consumers for cheap thrills amid a slow economic recovery. —Denni Hu, WWD, 17 Sep. 2024

BOBs, as they were known, were thrifty, embraced a D.I.Y. ethos, and valued function over prestige. —Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

thrifty

adjective

ˈthrif-tē 

thriftier; thriftiest

1

: doing well because of hard work and thrift : prosperous

2

: growing strongly

thrifty cattle

3

: tending to save money

thriftily

-tə-lē 

adverb