economical

economical — adjective

1. using money, fuel, time, or other resources carefully so that very little is was

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

using money, fuel, time, or other resources carefully so that very little is wasted; providing good value relative to the cost.

Example

Hyun's new refrigerator is very economical, using a third less electricity than his old one.

economical + electricity-saving appliance

The bus service between the villages proved more economical than running separate cars.

comparative: more economical than

Common collocations
  • economical car/refrigerator/heating
  • economical way/alternative/method
  • economical to run/use/heat/operate
  • highly/more/most/less economical
  • economical with money/fuel/time/water
Synonyms
  • thrifty

    describes a person's careful habits with money, not an object or method

  • frugal

    can be positive (simple and unwasteful) or negative (too cheap); often describes lifestyle choices

  • cost-effective

    formal; focuses on achieving good results for the money spent

  • efficient

    broader; describes achieving maximum output with minimum wasted input, not limited to money

Antonyms
  • wasteful

    using more resources than needed, the direct opposite

  • extravagant

    spending much more than necessary, often on luxuries

  • inefficient

    failing to achieve good output for the resources used

Grammar Patterns

economical + noun

economical + with + noun

be + economical + to-infinitive

more/most + economical

Usage Note

Frequently followed by 'with' to specify the resource being saved ('economical with fuel') or 'to' to describe the action ('economical to run'). Unlike 'cheap,' which describes a low purchase price, 'economical' describes low ongoing cost or waste reduction.

Common Mistakes

This car is very economical' (when meaning it costs little to buy).
This car is very economical to run.
'economical' refers to ongoing use of resources like fuel, not the initial purchase price.
She is a very economical person.
She is a very thrifty person.
'economical' typically describes actions, methods, or products, not a person's character; use 'thrifty' for people.

2. choosing not to disclose the full details of what truly happened in a given matt

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

choosing not to disclose the full details of what truly happened in a given matter, while stopping short of telling an outright falsehood.

Example

The minister was accused of being economical with the truth during the television interview.

passive: was accused of being economical with the truth

Imran admitted he had been economical with the truth about his previous work experience.

economical with the truth + about + topic

Common collocations
  • economical with the truth
  • accused of being economical with the truth
  • been economical with the truth
Synonyms
  • disingenuous

    not fully honest; more formal and serious than the idiom

  • evasive

    avoiding giving a direct answer, not necessarily hiding facts

  • misleading

    giving a false impression, whether by lies or omission

Antonyms
  • forthright

    direct and honest in speech

  • candid

    telling the truth openly without hiding anything

Grammar Patterns

be + economical with the truth

Usage Note

This sense is almost always used in the fixed expression 'economical with the truth.' The phrase is a euphemism — it softens an accusation of dishonesty. It is most common in political, corporate, or public-figure contexts. Typically appears in past tense ('was economical with the truth') or perfect tense ('has been economical with the truth').

Common Mistakes

He was economical about the truth.
He was economical with the truth.
The fixed phrase uses 'with,' not 'about.'
She is economical.' (meaning she hides facts).
She was economical with the truth.
Without 'with the truth', the word reverts to sense 1 (not wasteful).

3. producing enough money to cover costs and show a financial gain; financially wor

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

producing enough money to cover costs and show a financial gain; financially worthwhile to operate or continue.

Example

Running a small farm is not economical unless you sell products directly to customers.

negative construction: not economical unless

The factory became economical once the new machinery reduced production time by half.

became economical + cause clause

Common collocations
  • not economical
  • become economical
  • economical to operate/run
  • barely/hardly economical
  • financially economical
Synonyms
  • profitable

    more common and direct; clearly states that money is made

  • viable

    can succeed or survive financially; broader than just profit

  • cost-effective

    focuses on the ratio of benefit to cost rather than absolute profit

  • self-sustaining

    generates enough revenue to continue without outside support

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

be + economical

it + be + economical + to-infinitive

become + economical

Usage Note

This sense is most common in negative statements ('not economical') or conditional sentences ('would be economical if'). It describes whether a business, activity, or operation can sustain itself financially. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 is about using fewer resources (an efficient car), while sense 3 is about generating profit (a viable business).

Common Mistakes

The government introduced an economical policy to boost trade.
The government introduced an economic policy to boost trade.
For matters of the broad economy, use 'economic'; 'economical' in sense 3 means profitable for a specific enterprise.

4. relating to the system by which a country or region manages its money, trade, in

4.adjectiveB2
Definition

relating to the system by which a country or region manages its money, trade, industry, and production of goods.

Example

The government announced a new economical policy designed to control rising inflation.

attributive: economical policy

Linh studies economical geography, focusing on trade patterns between Southeast Asian nations.

Common collocations
  • economical policy
  • economical growth
  • economical development
  • economical system
  • economical geography
Synonyms
  • economic

    the standard and far more common adjective for this meaning

  • financial

    focuses specifically on money and monetary systems, broader than the economy

  • commercial

    relating to business and trade, narrower than the full economy

Grammar Patterns

economical + noun (policy/growth/system)

Usage Note

⚠️ This sense overlaps heavily with the adjective 'economic,' which is the standard word for describing matters of the economy. In almost all contexts, use 'economic' instead of 'economical' — for example, 'economic policy,' 'economic growth,' 'economic development.' Using 'economical' in this sense is rare and may be considered nonstandard. Reserve 'economical' for senses 1–3 (not wasteful, avoiding the truth, profitable).

Common Mistakes

The country faces serious economical problems.
The country faces serious economic problems.
Use 'economic' for broad economy-related matters; 'economical' in this sense is rarely used and may sound wrong to native speakers.
Idioms

be economical with the truth

idiom

To not tell the whole truth about something, often by leaving out important details.

Maya was economical with the truth when she described her exam results.

Did the politician's assistant admit he was being economical with the truth?

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Economical, thrifty, and frugal all describe careful use of resources, but each carries a different shade of meaning. 'Economical' is the most neutral and practical — it simply means using resources efficiently, whether money, fuel, or time. You would say 'an economical car' or 'an economical heating system.' 'Thrifty' describes a person's positive habit of saving money and avoiding unnecessary purchases — for example, 'a thrifty shopper who plans meals around weekly sales.' 'Frugal' can be positive (choosing a simple lifestyle without waste) or mildly critical (denying oneself reasonable comforts), as in 'a frugal meal of rice and vegetables.' 'Cheap' is different: it describes low cost or poor quality, not good value. A 'cheap watch' breaks quickly; an 'economical car' saves fuel over years. Use 'economical' for products and methods, 'thrifty' for people's habits, 'frugal' for lifestyle choices, and 'cheap' only when low price (and possibly low quality) is the point.

economical ↗thriftyfrugalcheap ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • economical car
  • economical method
  • economical way
  • economical system
  • economical growth
  • economical policy

Adverbs

  • highly economical
  • very economical
  • more economical
  • most economical
  • less economical
  • barely economical

Phrases

  • economical to run
  • economical to use
  • economical to operate

Prepositions

  • economical with
  • economical in
  • economical for

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'economical' comes from the ancient Greek word 'oikonomia' (οἰκονομία), meaning 'household management' — a combination of 'oikos' (house) and 'nomos' (law or management). It passed into Latin as 'oeconomia,' then into Old French as 'yconomique,' and finally into English in the 16th century. The original sense of careful household management gradually broadened to cover any careful use of resources. The political metaphor 'economical with the truth' emerged in the late 20th century, drawing on the idea of being 'careful' with the facts one reveals.