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 )
Synonym Usage
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.
Overton was the pick, returning his most economical figures when bowling his full allocation of four in a T20 international.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
"Local ice is more economical, but Kuramoto Ice is clearer, denser and melts more slowly," co-owner Yong Wei told AFP.
From Barron's ● Sep. 6, 2026
“Such a replacement will fail to adequately honor President John F. Kennedy, but would be simpler and more economical to build, operate, and maintain,” the administration’s lawyers wrote in the filing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
The researchers believe SS-H2 could replace some of those expensive components with a much more economical steel.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
One oonful of this is more economical and far more sweetening than two of ordinary granulated Sugar.
From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson
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.
