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costly

[ kawst-lee, kost- ]
/ ˈkɔst li, ˈkɒst- /
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See synonyms for: costly / costlier / costliest / costliness on Thesaurus.com
adjective, cost·li·er, cost·li·est.
costing much; expensive; high in price: a costly emerald bracelet; costly medical care.
resulting in great expense: The upkeep of such a large house is costly.
resulting in great detriment: It was a costly mistake because no one ever trusted him again.
of great value; very valuable; sumptuous.
lavish; extravagant.
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Origin of costly

First recorded in 1350–1400, costly is from the Middle English word costli. See cost, -ly

synonym study for costly

1. See expensive.

OTHER WORDS FROM costly

cost·li·ness, nouno·ver·cost·li·ness, nouno·ver·cost·ly, adjectiveun·cost·ly, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to costly

pricey, valuable, catastrophic, disastrous, ruinous, an arm and leg, cher, dear, excessive, executive, exorbitant, extortionate, extravagant, fancy, high, high-priced, inordinate, precious, premium, steep

How to use costly in a sentence

  • In 112 extremely uncostly frames on the wall were the coffin-plates of the departed members of the family.

    Two Little Savages|Ernest Thompson Seton

  • They are uncostly, plain, and humble, showing the unostentatious mind of the great man.

    Journal of a Voyage across the Atlantic|George Moore

  • Alas, they are homespuns from the factory, machine-made in uncostly quantities.

    The Rhythm of Life|Alice Meynell

British Dictionary definitions for costly

costly
/ (ˈkɒstlɪ) /
adjective -lier or -liest
of great price or value; expensive
entailing great loss or sacrificea costly victory
splendid; lavish

Derived forms of costly

costliness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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