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
This type of construction can be costly but can help prevent paying for repairs later.
—
Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 1 June 2024
Her efforts to improve policing in Mexico City were also expensive — and would be costly to reproduce on a wider scale.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2024
Like In those years, parole continues to offer the most viable alternative to the costly, inhumane, and ineffective system of detention, at least until there is a complete overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws.
—Ana Raquel Minian, TIME, 30 May 2024
But altering stormwater drainage systems is costly when the existing systems were designed to meet historical rainfall levels, rather than the scale of rainfall that will accompany climate change.
—Craig E. Colten, Discover Magazine, 30 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for costly 
Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 1 June 2024
Her efforts to improve policing in Mexico City were also expensive — and would be costly to reproduce on a wider scale.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2024
Like In those years, parole continues to offer the most viable alternative to the costly, inhumane, and ineffective system of detention, at least until there is a complete overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws.
—Ana Raquel Minian, TIME, 30 May 2024
But altering stormwater drainage systems is costly when the existing systems were designed to meet historical rainfall levels, rather than the scale of rainfall that will accompany climate change.
—Craig E. Colten, Discover Magazine, 30 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.
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Cite this Entry
“Costly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/costly. Accessed 7 Jun. 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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