costly
adjective
cost·ly
ˈkȯs(t)-lē 
costlier; costliest
2
: made or done at heavy expense or sacrifice
a costly mistake
costliness
noun
Synonyms
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
While budget brands like Old Spice saw plummeting influence among Gen Z, costly colognes from Dior and Valentino gained market share with males under age 18.
—
Melissa Willets, Parents, 23 May 2024
If the Blue Visby Solution is adopted across the industry, the increase in emissions could be wiped out overnight with no weird or costly modifications to the ships themselves.
—Ryan Erik King / Jalopnik, Quartz, 23 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for costly 
Melissa Willets, Parents, 23 May 2024
If the Blue Visby Solution is adopted across the industry, the increase in emissions could be wiped out overnight with no weird or costly modifications to the ships themselves.
—Ryan Erik King / Jalopnik, Quartz, 23 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for costly
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.
Dictionary Entries Near costly
Cite this Entry
“Costly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/costly. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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