frugal

[froo-guhl]

adjective

1. economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful.

   What your office needs is a frugal manager who can save you money without resorting to painful cutbacks.

   Synonyms: penny-pinching, tight, stingy, miserly, prudent, careful, provident, chary, thrifty
   Antonyms: profligate, prodigal, spendthrift, extravagant, wasteful

2. entailing little expense; requiring few resources; meager; scanty.

   a frugal meal.

   Synonyms: skimpy, sparing, slim, scant
   Antonyms: profuse, lavish, luxurious

frugal

/ ˈfruːɡəl /

adjective

1. practising economy; living without waste; thrifty

2. not costly; meagre

Other Word Forms

• frugality noun
• frugally adverb
• frugalness noun
• nonfrugal adjective
• nonfrugalness noun
• overfrugal adjective
• unfrugal adjective
• unfrugalness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of frugal¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin frūgālis “economical,” derivative of the indeclinable adjective frūgī (dative singular of frūx “produce, fruit”) + -ālis adjective suffix; fruit, -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of frugal¹

C16: from Latin frūgālis , from frūgī useful, temperate, from frux fruit

Synonym Study

Frugal, economical, thrifty imply careful and saving use of resources. Frugal emphasizes being saving, sometimes excessively saving, especially in such matters as food or dress: frugal almost to the point of being stingy. Economical implies prudent planning in the disposition of resources so as to avoid unnecessary waste or expense: economical in budgeting household expenditures. Thrifty is a stronger word than economical and adds to it the idea of industry and successful management: a thrifty shopper looking for bargains.

Example Sentences

She was cleverly frugal to bring it to fruition.

From Los Angeles Times

And while the drink wasn’t the most frugal beverage to enjoy every week on a night out — especially as an early 20-something — it offered a sense of excitement and nostalgia.

From Salon

She may have to be frugal, but the festival has many corporate sponsors, Mercedes-Benz, Coca-Cola and Leica Camera among them, along with its massive crowd of ticket buyers.

From Los Angeles Times

They are hoping it will attract the famously frugal domestic population as well as foreign visitors.

From BBC

Franco was the centerpiece of the Rays, netting the biggest contract in the notoriously frugal organization’s history and winning his first All-Star berth shortly before the allegations of abuse appeared on social media in 2023.

From Salon

Related Words

• canny 
• careful 
• meticulous 
• prudent 
• stingy 
• thrifty