Costly Meaning in English
word
/ˈkɑstɫi/, /ˈkɔstɫi/
KAWST-lee
/kˈɒstli/
KOST-lee
Definition
Something that is costly is very expensive or requires a lot of resources, effort, or loss.
Usage & Nuances
'Costly' is formal and commonly used for expensive mistakes, decisions, or items. Often used in phrases like 'costly mistake' (with serious negative effects). Do not use for everyday cheap/expensive comparisons—use 'expensive' instead.
Spanish: costoso - caroPortuguese (BR): caro - custosoPortuguese (PT): caro - dispendiosoChinese (Simplified): 昂贵的 - 代价高的Chinese (Traditional): 昂貴的 - 代價高的Hindi: महंगा - मूल्यवानArabic: باهظ الثمن - مكلفBengali: ব্যয়বহুল - দামিRussian: дорогой - затратныйJapanese: 高価な - 大きな犠牲を伴うVietnamese: tốn kémKorean: 값비싼 - 손실이 큰Turkish: pahalı - ağır bedelliUrdu: مہنگا - بھاری قیمت والاIndonesian: mahal - menelan biaya besar
Example Sentences
This watch is too costly for me to buy.
basic
Building a house can be costly.
basic
A costly mistake can change your life.
basic
His decision to ignore the warnings proved to be costly.
natural
Repairs on that old car have become really costly over time.
natural
Trying to cut corners ended up being more costly than doing it right the first time.
natural