economically
Americanadverb
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in a thrifty or frugal manner; with economy.
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as regards the efficient use of income and wealth.
economically feasible proposals.
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as regards one's personal resources of money.
He's quite well off economically.
adverb
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with economy or thrift; without waste
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with regard to the economy of a person, country, etc
Etymology
Origin of economically
First recorded in 1690–1700; economical + -ly
Explanation
If you do something economically, you do it in an efficient manner. Acting economically wastes no money or effort. Though variations of this word often relate to the economy — the financial system — to be economical also means to be thrifty in other senses. For example, if you do your homework economically, you do it quickly and correctly, without wasted energy or time. If you run errands economically, you take the shortest route and don't get sidetracked. If you take a road trip economically, you drive across the country as fast as possible and in a straightforward manner, without deviations.
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.
“Historically, these cycles have resulted in substantial economic losses,” they wrote, adding that academics estimated the 1997-98 event costing approximately $5.7 trillion, marking it as “the most economically destructive” El Niño ever recorded.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 26, 2026
Iran remains extraordinarily vulnerable, both militarily and economically.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 21, 2026
Many economically important crops, including wheat, cotton, and sugarcane, are polyploids with similarly complex evolutionary histories.
From Science Daily • Jun. 19, 2026
“I am watching closely to see whether the selloff remains concentrated in the most richly valued areas of the market or begins to spill over into economically sensitive sectors,” he said.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
In evading and warding off wage increases, employers are of course behaving in an economically rational fashion; their business isn’t to make their employees more comfortable and secure but to maximize the bottom line.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
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.
