frugally

American

[froo-guh-lee] / ˈfru gə li /

adverb

in an economical way; not wastefully.

We were accustomed to living frugally, which helped us keep our heads above water through a long period of unemployment.

Other Word Forms

nonfrugally adverb
overfrugally adverb
unfrugally adverb

Etymology

Origin of frugally

frugal ( def. ) + -ly

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.

A Shiite cleric, he lives frugally and was brought up in a religious tradition that reveres martyrdom.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

The 40-year-old mother of two teenagers said she no longer splurges on the occasional luxury bag, and instead lives frugally, ordering cheap takeout from food delivery apps.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

Throughout my career, we have lived frugally, using coupons and deals and adopting the save mentality of our parents.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 18, 2025

In recent months, a large number of consumers have been making efforts to shop for groceries frugally.

From Salon • Nov. 9, 2025

Father Gomez was quite used to living frugally, and there was plenty of time.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman

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