economical
Americanadjective
-
avoiding waste or extravagance; thrifty.
an economical meal; an economical use of interior space.
- Synonyms:
- parsimonious, sparing, provident, saving
- Antonyms:
- profligate, prodigal, spendthrift, extravagant, wasteful
adjective
-
using the minimum required; not wasteful of time, effort, resources, etc
an economical car
an economical style
-
frugal; thrifty
she was economical by nature
-
euphemistic deliberately withholding information (esp in the phrase economical with the truth )
Related Words
See frugal.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of economical
Explanation
Someone who is economical avoids wasting things, like money or food. So if someone sees you wrapping up a bite of food that could be part of tomorrow's lunch, don't let him call you "cheap." Tell him you are economical. The adjective economical often describes someone who is frugal with money, but the word can apply to those who avoid wasting resources of any kind. An economical speaker, for example, avoids wasting words and doesn’t talk any more than is absolutely necessary. Someone who is economical with his time gets things done efficiently, just as an economical dishwasher uses the precise amount of water and electricity.
Vocabulary lists containing economical
Commonly Confused Words, List 1
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"A Retrieved Reformation" by O. Henry
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Ronald Reagan, "Tear Down This Wall" (1987)
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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.
Nearly three-quarters of them at Black or biracial, according to a July 2020 study published by the Brazilian Institute of Social and Economical Analyses.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 21, 2022
Economical rationality: everything has a price and every move in your life as a YouTuber is about money, likes, etc.
From Salon • Sep. 20, 2018
"Economical feasibility is usually not a given in most of mainland Europe's grids," acknowledged Michael Lippert, head of Saft's new energy storage unit.
From Reuters • Jul. 5, 2015
Economical, poised in the pocket, Flacco dissected New England’s secondary after Harbaugh told his quarterback and team to stop holding back and attack the Patriots during the final two quarters.
From Washington Post • Jan. 21, 2013
Evelyn Ashley in National Review, June 1898, pp. 536-40.36.Plan for Economical Reform.37.27 and 28 Vict., chap.
From The Life of William Ewart Gladstone (Vol 2 of 3) by Morley, John
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
