thrifty

[thrif-tee]

adjective

thriftier, thriftiest 

1. practicing thrift or economical management; frugal.

   a thrifty shopper.

   Synonyms: saving, sparing

2. thriving, prosperous, or successful.

3. thriving physically; growing vigorously.

thrifty

/ ˈθrɪftɪ /

adjective

1. showing thrift; economical or frugal

2. rare,  thriving or prospering

Other Word Forms

• thriftily adverb
• thriftiness noun
• overthriftily adverb
• overthriftiness noun
• overthrifty adjective
• unthriftily adverb
• unthriftiness noun
• unthrifty adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of thrifty¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English; thrift, -y ¹

Synonym Study

See frugal.

Example Sentences

That thrifty spirit I cultivated when I was in my 20s is back—but why couldn’t I hold on to it when my income was at its peak?

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It’s thrifty, smart, and impossibly good — a dish that proves you don’t need much more than salt, acid, and time to make something sing.

Read more on Salon

Maquiladoras brought jobs to Mexico and thriftier price points for cost-conscious consumers.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Two cost of living fairs in a county aimed to lift "the taboo of wanting to save money and to be thrifty", said their organiser.

Read more on BBC

Rather, they believe thrifty innovation will win them an undeniable advantage – because it was DeepSeek's claim that it could rival ChatGPT for a fraction of the cost that shocked the AI industry.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• frugal 
• prudent 
• stingy