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
As cyber threats become more sophisticated, AI offers a flexible, scalable solution for safeguarding business-critical data and reduces the risk of costly breaches.
4.
—
Gary Drenik, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Without needing to rely on costly long-range missiles, Israeli jets can now fly directly over Iranian targets, drop cheaper precision bombs, and strike with greater frequency.
—Nik Popli, Time, 17 June 2025
Don’t skimp on the inspection—paying more for a thorough, competent inspector can save you big in the long run by uncovering costly problems early.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 16 June 2025
India’s deadliest plane crash in more than decade is set to send shock waves through the aviation insurance industry and trigger one of the country’s costliest claims, estimated at around $475 million.
—Dave Levinthal, Fortune, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for costly
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Gary Drenik, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Without needing to rely on costly long-range missiles, Israeli jets can now fly directly over Iranian targets, drop cheaper precision bombs, and strike with greater frequency.
—Nik Popli, Time, 17 June 2025
Don’t skimp on the inspection—paying more for a thorough, competent inspector can save you big in the long run by uncovering costly problems early.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 16 June 2025
India’s deadliest plane crash in more than decade is set to send shock waves through the aviation insurance industry and trigger one of the country’s costliest claims, estimated at around $475 million.
—Dave Levinthal, Fortune, 16 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 20 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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