as in expensive
commanding a large price
running is one sport that does not require a lot of costly equipment
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Recent Examples of costly
Also, 2025 was also the first year on record with a billion-dollar wildfire as the costliest event of the year.
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Doyle Rice, USA Today, 10 Jan. 2026
Penalties proved costly for the first time this postseason, with Miami flagged 10 times — many at critical moments.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 10 Jan. 2026
The wrong choice will be costly in terms of the state budget.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 9 Jan. 2026
The engineers found a solution that was technically sweet but financially costly.
—Martin Elvis, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for costly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for costly
Adjective
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That would be roughly twice the base price of the company’s most expensive factory model, the Phantom.—
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Most gamers will look at an expensive keyboard to enhance their play style but often overlook the mouse.—
Adjective
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But Johnson was quick to remind players that, while adrenaline and desire are valuable, details become the separator in big games.—
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Although the divorce left Cher with limited immediate wealth, the royalty agreement proved to be valuable in the long-term, reportedly earning her tens of millions of dollars paid out gradually over decades.—
Cite this Entry
“Costly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/costly. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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