Synonyms

thrifty

American

[thrif-tee] / ˈθrɪf ti /

adjective

thriftier, thriftiest

practicing thrift or economical management; frugal.

a thrifty shopper.

Synonyms:

saving, sparing
thriving, prosperous, or successful.
thriving physically; growing vigorously.

thrifty British

/ ˈθrɪftɪ /

adjective

showing thrift; economical or frugal
rare thriving or prospering

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See frugal.

Other Word Forms

overthriftily adverb
overthriftiness noun
overthrifty adjective
thriftily adverb
thriftiness noun
unthriftily adverb
unthriftiness noun
unthrifty adjective

Etymology

Origin of thrifty

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English; thrift, -y ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Fairly early in his lengthy investment career, in the mid-1960s, this thrifty son of Yorkshire, England, grew besotted with speculative small-cap stocks.

From Barron's • Dec. 31, 2025

Here are some other thrifty gifting tips from experts:

From MarketWatch • Nov. 19, 2025

That thrifty spirit I cultivated when I was in my 20s is back—but why couldn’t I hold on to it when my income was at its peak?

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025

Rather, they believe thrifty innovation will win them an undeniable advantage – because it was DeepSeek's claim that it could rival ChatGPT for a fraction of the cost that shocked the AI industry.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2025

No thrifty child had tucked a wad of gum under the table.

From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023