uneconomical

British  

/ ˌʌniːkəˈnɒmɪkəl, ˌʌnɛkə- /

adjective

1. not economical; wasteful

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Explanation

Leaving all your lights on all the time is an uneconomical, or wasteful. Rewriting this sentence using five hundred words would be an uneconomical, or inefficient, use of language. You may think you've made an uneconomical choice when you spend too much money on dinner, but sometimes the government gets criticized for being uneconomical with taxpayer money for spending several hundred dollars on a special type of paperweight or screwdriver that could have been purchased for much less.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

uneconomical

Ultimately, a shell-company tax would render many deceptive corporate structures uneconomical and drive businesses into the sunlight of traditional business structures.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026

Springs was once a booming gold town, but its mines were closed several years ago because the extreme depth of the shafts made operations uneconomical.

From BBC ● Feb. 17, 2026

The unit has become uneconomical to run, its owners said, and the cost of compelling it to remain online will ultimately fall on ratepayers in the area.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2026

Oil at $50 a barrel may be uneconomical for some.

From Barron's ● Jan. 6, 2026

In addition, the largest domestic mammals interacted with domestic plants to increase food production by pulling plows and thereby making it possible for people to till land that had previously been uneconomical for farming.

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

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Related Words

• costly
• extravagant
• fancy
• high
• lavish
• overpriced
• pricey
• upscale
• valuable

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