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
Maurice felt bad for Nosek over his costly mistake, noting his line had been instrumental in the previous series win over Toronto.
—
Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 5 June 2025
Try to process what is happening to avoid costly mistakes.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 5 June 2025
In education, students with secure housing often have better attendance, higher test scores and are less likely to require costly interventions.
—Seth Gellis, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
As more Americans work beyond age 65 and delay claiming Social Security, confusion about Medicare enrollment deadlines has become increasingly costly.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for costly
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Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 5 June 2025
Try to process what is happening to avoid costly mistakes.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 5 June 2025
In education, students with secure housing often have better attendance, higher test scores and are less likely to require costly interventions.
—Seth Gellis, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
As more Americans work beyond age 65 and delay claiming Social Security, confusion about Medicare enrollment deadlines has become increasingly costly.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 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 10 Jun. 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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