Word
costly
Meanings
Expensive; costing a lot of money.
Causing serious loss, damage, or difficulty; having a high price in consequences.
Definition
Costly means expensive or requiring a lot of money, time, or effort.
If something is costly, it is expensive and requires a large amount of money. It can also describe mistakes or decisions that cause serious losses or problems, even if they are not directly about price. In both cases, the idea is that the “cost” is high compared with what is normal or expected.
Examples
- I avoided the premium package because it looked costly for what it actually offered.
- You may find the repairs costly if you keep postponing basic maintenance.
- He realized too late that a costly mistake can undo months of careful planning.
- She chose a simpler venue after the first quotes made the event seem costly.
- They learned that ignoring small issues can become costly when deadlines tighten.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes use "costly" only for price, but it can also describe mistakes or decisions with severe consequences.
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More adjectives
- agnostic An agnostic is someone who does not claim to know whether God exists.
- pragmatic Pragmatic means focused on practical results rather than ideals or theories.
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- cynical Cynical describes believing that people are mainly motivated by self-interest and not sincere.
- apathetic Apathetic means showing little or no interest, concern, or enthusiasm.