economical
gb/ˌɛkənˈɑmɪkəl/ us/ˌɛkənˈɑmɪkəl/
B1
English
~ 9200
gazdaságos, takarékos, olcsó, kedvező árú, tömör
B1
1
gazdaságos
B1
takarékos
B1
Usage pattern:
to be economical with [something]
A small, economical car can save you a lot of money on fuel.
Egy kicsi, takarékos autóval sok pénzt megspórolhatsz az üzemanyagon.
The company adopted a more economical use of office space to cut costs.
A cég a költségek csökkentése érdekében áttért az irodaterület gazdaságosabb kihasználására.
She is very economical with her spending and tracks every purchase.
Solar panels can be an economical way to heat your water in the long term.
The new process is faster and more economical in terms of energy use.
Learner examples
We bought an economical car that does not use much fuel.
Olyan takarékos autót vettünk, amely nem fogyaszt sok üzemanyagot.
He tries to be economical with money and never buys things he does not need.
Igyekszik takarékosan bánni a pénzzel, és soha nem vesz olyan dolgokat, amelyekre nincs szüksége.
Using a bike can be an economical way to get to work.
This machine is economical because it uses little electricity.
They live in a small, economical house to save money.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse 'economical' with 'economic'. 'Economical' describes something that does not waste money or resources, while 'economic' usually means 'related to the economy or economics'. Another common mistake is to use 'economical' only to mean 'cheap'; however, it often implies good use of resources, not just low price.
Meaning
not wasting money or resources
Collocations
economical car
|economical to run
|economical use of [something]
|economical lifestyle
|economical solution
|economical choice
Synonyms
frugal (Often used for people; suggests simple living and strong desire not to waste or overspend.)
|
thrifty (Similar to 'frugal' but slightly more positive and informal; often implies being clever with money.)
|
efficient (Focuses more on getting good results with little waste, not only about money.)
Antonyms
wasteful (Describes using more money or resources than necessary and not being careful.)
|
extravagant (Suggests spending a lot in a showy or unnecessary way, the opposite of careful and economical.)
|
inefficient (Focuses on poor use of resources or energy, with a lot of waste.)
Themes
money
|business
|daily_life
|environment
|finance
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Using as little money, time, or other things as possible and not wasting them.
Using money, time, fuel, or other resources carefully and efficiently so that little is wasted.
B1
2
olcsó
A1
kedvező árú
B1
Usage pattern:
an economical [product/service/option]
Taking the train at night is often the most economical option.
Gyakran az a legolcsóbb megoldás, ha éjszaka vonattal utazunk.
They chose an economical hotel just outside the city center.
Egy kedvező árú szállodát választottak közvetlenül a városközponton kívül.
Buying in bulk can be more economical than shopping every few days.
For students, this phone plan is very economical.
The restaurant offers an economical lunch menu for office workers.
Learner examples
We need an economical place to stay for the weekend.
Kedvező árú szállásra van szükségünk a hétvégére.
This is the most economical ticket for the trip.
Ez a legolcsóbb jegy az útra.
Cooking at home is more economical than eating out every day.
I chose the economical model because it was cheaper.
The supermarket has a very economical family pack.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'economic' instead of 'economical' when talking about price, saying things like *an economic hotel*. The natural phrase is *an economical hotel* or *a cheap/inexpensive hotel*. 'Economic' is usually about the economy, not the price of one thing.
Meaning
low-cost and good value
Collocations
economical option
|economical alternative
|economical model
|economical meal
|economical housing
|economical package
Synonyms
inexpensive (Neutral word meaning 'not expensive'; does not strongly suggest good or bad quality.)
|
low-cost (Often used in business or advertising; slightly more technical or commercial-sounding.)
|
cost-effective (Highlights good results for the money spent, not just a low price.)
Antonyms
expensive (General opposite; simply costs a lot of money.)
|
costly (More formal; can also imply that something has a high non-money cost, like time or risk.)
|
overpriced (Emphasizes that the price is higher than the value you get.)
Themes
money
|shopping
|business
|finance
|daily_life
Definition
Not costing much money, especially compared with what you get for it.
Costing relatively little money, especially in a way that gives good value for the amount paid.
C1
FORMAL
3
tömör
B2
Usage pattern:
an economical [style/sentence/writing]
Her economical writing style makes the report easy to follow.
Tömör írásstílusa könnyen követhetővé teszi a jelentést.
The film tells the story in a very economical way, without any unnecessary scenes.
A film nagyon tömören meséli el a történetet, minden felesleges jelenet nélkül.
He gave an economical answer that was brief but complete.
Good advertising copy is usually sharp and economical.
The author is known for his economical use of dialogue.
Learner examples
Please be economical with your words in the email.
Kérlek, fogalmazz tömören az e-mailben.
The article is short and economical, but it explains everything clearly.
A cikk rövid és tömör, de mindent világosan elmagyaráz.
His speech was economical and straight to the point.
I like teachers who give economical answers without long stories.
Write an economical summary of the text in one paragraph.
Common mistake:
Learners often think 'economical' always relates to money, so they may not understand phrases like 'an economical style' or may wrongly interpret them as 'cheap'. In these contexts, 'economical' means 'using few words', similar to 'concise'.
Meaning
using few, precise words
Collocations
economical style
|economical prose
|economical writing
|economical use of words
|economical narrative
Synonyms
concise (Common formal word; highlights being short but clear and complete.)
|
succinct (Very similar to 'concise', sometimes suggests being impressively brief and clear.)
|
spare (Often used for writing style; suggests simple, with no extra decoration.)
Antonyms
wordy (Informal; uses more words than necessary and feels too long.)
|
verbose (Formal; strongly criticizes speech or writing that uses far too many words.)
|
rambling (Describes speaking or writing that wanders without clear focus or structure.)
Themes
communication
|writing
|education
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Using only a small number of words, but still being clear.
Using only as many words as are necessary, in a clear and effective way, without unnecessary detail or repetition.
Grammar
Dictionary form
economical
IPA
GB/ˌɛkənˈɑmɪkəl/
US/ˌɛkənˈɑmɪkəl/
Syllables & stress
eco - nom - ic - al (4 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (ic)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: economical
Word family
Core family
Negative and opposite forms
uneconomical
adjective
uneconomically
adverb
Advanced or less common
Expressions
economical with the truth
1/ˌɛkənˈɑmɪkəl wˈɪθ ðə tɹˈuθ/
idiom
not fully honest about facts
To say something that is not a complete lie, but to leave out important true information so that people get the wrong idea.
Examples
- The minister was clearly economical with the truth when he described the cost of the project.
- I think you are being a little economical with the truth about why you were late.
- The advertisement is economical with the truth about the extra fees.
economical with words
1/ˌɛkənˈɑmɪkəl wˈɪθ wˈɚdz/
fixed phrase
speaking or writing very briefly
To speak or write using only a small number of words, often in a clear but very brief way.
Examples
- He is economical with words, but his comments are always worth hearing.
- The instructions are economical with words, yet they are easy to follow.