economical

adjective

eco·​nom·​i·​cal ˌe-kə-ˈnä-mi-kəl How to pronounce economical (audio)
ˌē-kə-
1
: marked by careful, efficient, and prudent use of resources : thrifty
an economical shopper
2
: operating with little waste or at a saving
an economical car
3
archaic : economic sense 5
Choose the Right Synonym for economical

sparing, frugal, thrifty, economical mean careful in the use of one's money or resources.

sparing stresses abstention and restraint.

sparing in the offering of advice

frugal implies absence of luxury and simplicity of lifestyle.

ran a frugal household

thrifty stresses good management and industry.

thrifty use of nonrenewable resources

economical stresses prudent management, lack of wastefulness, and use of things to their best advantage.

an economical health-care plan

Examples of economical in a Sentence

an economical way to heat your house a practical and economical solution to the problem
Recent Examples on the Web For the beginner bird watcher looking for an economical option, the First Nature Hummingbird Feeder is a smart pick for any budget. Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2024 Bosa is economical with his words and has a deliberate delivery that borders on deadpan. Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2024 As the successor to Japan’s H-2A and H-2B rockets, the H3 is designed to be more economical by using commercial off-the-shelf products, rather than exclusive aerospace components, according to JAXA. Junko Ogura, CNN, 17 Feb. 2024 In 2023, Maryland has reported higher costs for car repairs from deer collisions, making deer overpopulation an economical issue as well as an environmental issue for Maryland residents. Tony Roberts, Baltimore Sun, 8 Feb. 2024 Best Times to Visit for Lower Prices Vietnam is a relatively affordable destination all year long, with abundant and economical street food and comfortable hotels for all budgets. Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 21 Jan. 2024 But the popularity of faux trees isn’t necessarily great news for the environment: Bill Lindberg, a horticulture expert at Michigan State University, said there were environmental and economical benefits to having a real tree. Alyson Krueger, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2023 Just buy a ticket for the day trip and stay in more economical lodgings in Williams. Marla Jo Fisher, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Jan. 2024 As access to computational power has become more economical over time, the amount used to train AI systems has been increasing steadily—doubling once every 20 months since the dawn of AI in 1950. Will Henshall, TIME, 26 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'economical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin oeconomicus "relating to domestic affairs, economic" + -al entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of economical was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near economical

Cite this Entry

“Economical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/economical. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

economical

adjective
ec·​o·​nom·​i·​cal
ˌek-ə-ˈnäm-i-kəl,
ˌē-kə-
1
: using resources with care and without waste
2
: operating with little waste or at a savings
an economical car
economically
-i-k(ə-)lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on economical

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