costly
adjective
cost·ly
ˈkȯs(t)-lē 
costlier; costliest
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
Predictive analytics allow businesses to foresee demand spikes and allocate resources properly, in turn avoiding costly delivery delays.
—
Steven Dudash, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Generally speaking, the ultimate goal in both was to drag the Mountain West into lengthy, costly court proceedings and cut a deal for less than the contracts require.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2025
The new year began with critically dry and hot conditions alongside fierce Santa Ana winds that fueled one of the costliest firestorms in modern history.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2025
But those mistakes are already proving costly—and embarrassing—as the administration’s cuts hit critical functions of government like nuclear security, pandemic prevention, and veteran assistance, prompting officials to backtrack.
—Brian Bennett, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for costly
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Steven Dudash, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Generally speaking, the ultimate goal in both was to drag the Mountain West into lengthy, costly court proceedings and cut a deal for less than the contracts require.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2025
The new year began with critically dry and hot conditions alongside fierce Santa Ana winds that fueled one of the costliest firestorms in modern history.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2025
But those mistakes are already proving costly—and embarrassing—as the administration’s cuts hit critical functions of government like nuclear security, pandemic prevention, and veteran assistance, prompting officials to backtrack.
—Brian Bennett, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for costly
Cite this Entry
“Costly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/costly. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
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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