economically

American  

[ek-uh-nom-ik-lee, ee-kuh-] / ˌɛk əˈnɒm ɪk li, ˌi kə- /

adverb

1. in a thrifty or frugal manner; with economy.

2. as regards the efficient use of income and wealth.

   economically feasible proposals.

3. as regards one's personal resources of money.

   He's quite well off economically.

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economically British  

/ ˌɛkə-, ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪkəlɪ /

adverb

1. with economy or thrift; without waste

2. with regard to the economy of a person, country, etc

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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

Kristalina Georgieva, IMF managing director told me, the world faced a "slower moving shock" while the World Bank's president Ajay Banga told me about the impact on economically poorer countries.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

If New York City wants a stable and economically sensible way to raise new revenue, it should look to the one tax base that cannot move: land.

From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026

“There’s still a majority of people who see a future for themselves here, economically, and that’s what’s going to keep this region going.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

These materials are often considered waste, but they may still contain valuable elements that were not economically recoverable at the time.

From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2026

These differences stemmed ultimately from Eurasia’s much longer history of densely populated, economically specialized, politically centralized, interacting and competing societies dependent on food production.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond