economical
gb/ˌɛkənˈɑmɪkəl/ us/ˌɛkənˈɑmɪkəl/
B1
English
~ 9200
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
not wasting money or resources
Using as little money, time, or other things as possible and not wasting them.
Usage pattern:
to be economical with [something]
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.
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.)
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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.)
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extravagant (Suggests spending a lot in a showy or unnecessary way, the opposite of careful and economical.)
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inefficient (Focuses on poor use of resources or energy, with a lot of waste.)
Collocations
economical car
|economical to run
|economical use of [something]
|economical lifestyle
|economical solution
|economical choice
Themes
money
|business
|daily_life
|environment
|finance
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- A small, economical car can save you a lot of money on fuel.
- The company adopted a more economical use of office space to cut costs.
- 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.
- He tries to be economical with money and never buys things he does not need.
- 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.
adjective
B1
property
2
low-cost and good value
Not costing much money, especially compared with what you get for it.
Usage pattern:
an economical [product/service/option]
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.
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.)
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costly (More formal; can also imply that something has a high non-money cost, like time or risk.)
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overpriced (Emphasizes that the price is higher than the value you get.)
Collocations
economical option
|economical alternative
|economical model
|economical meal
|economical housing
|economical package
Themes
money
|shopping
|business
|finance
|daily_life
Examples
- Taking the train at night is often the most economical option.
- They chose an economical hotel just outside the city center.
- 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.
- This is the most economical ticket for the trip.
- 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.
adjective
formal
C1
property
3
using few, precise words
Using only a small number of words, but still being clear.
Usage pattern:
an economical [style/sentence/writing]
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'.
Synonyms
concise (Common formal word; highlights being short but clear and complete.)
|
succinct (Very similar to 'concise', sometimes suggests being impressively brief and clear.)
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spare (Often used for writing style; suggests simple, with no extra decoration.)
Antonyms
wordy (Informal; uses more words than necessary and feels too long.)
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verbose (Formal; strongly criticizes speech or writing that uses far too many words.)
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rambling (Describes speaking or writing that wanders without clear focus or structure.)
Collocations
economical style
|economical prose
|economical writing
|economical use of words
|economical narrative
Themes
communication
|writing
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her economical writing style makes the report easy to follow.
- The film tells the story in a very economical way, without any unnecessary scenes.
- 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.
- The article is short and economical, but it explains everything clearly.
- 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.
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.