economical
economical — adjective
1. using money, fuel, time, or other resources carefully so that very little is was
using money, fuel, time, or other resources carefully so that very little is wasted; providing good value relative to the cost.
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
Shirin found an economical way to heat her apartment during the cold months.
It is more economical to buy rice in a large bag than in small packets.
Nia chose an economical washing machine that uses less water per load.
- 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
- 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
文法句型
economical + noun
economical + with + noun
be + economical + to-infinitive
more/most + economical
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
2. choosing not to disclose the full details of what truly happened in a given matt
choosing not to disclose the full details of what truly happened in a given matter, while stopping short of telling an outright falsehood.
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
The company's annual report was economical with the truth, hiding the project's real costs.
Calling the politician economical with the truth is a polite way of saying he lied.
- 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
- forthright
direct and honest in speech
- candid
telling the truth openly without hiding anything
文法句型
be + economical with the truth
用法筆記
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').
常見錯誤
3. producing enough money to cover costs and show a financial gain; financially wor
producing enough money to cover costs and show a financial gain; financially worthwhile to operate or continue.
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
Harper calculated the bakery would be economical only if they sold two hundred loaves daily.
For a small airline, a single daily flight between two rural towns is rarely economical.
- 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
- unprofitable
direct opposite; failing to make money
- unsustainable
cannot continue without financial losses
- loss-making
spends more money than it earns
文法句型
be + economical
it + be + economical + to-infinitive
become + economical
用法筆記
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).
常見錯誤
4. relating to the system by which a country or region manages its money, trade, in
relating to the system by which a country or region manages its money, trade, industry, and production of goods.
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.
The country's economical growth slowed after global oil prices dropped sharply last year.
Trang wrote her thesis on the economical development of rural areas in Vietnam.
- 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
文法句型
economical + noun (policy/growth/system)
用法筆記
⚠️ 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).