Find Antonyms
costly Antonyms
Opposite of costly
Because the opposite of costly shifts with each meaning, the 10 antonyms and opposite words below are separated across 2 exact definitions and ranked by contrast strength.
• adjective (Context 1)
Costing a great deal of money; high in price or financial expense.
Usage Example
"Replacing the historic building's roof proved to be a cheap undertaking for the municipality."
Strongest
cheap
inexpensive
low-cost
low-priced
Strong
affordable
economical
• adjective (Context 2)
Resulting in severe loss, damage, sacrifice, or negative consequences.
Usage Example
"A single harmless error in the final minutes of the match cost the team the championship."
Strong
harmless
beneficial
advantageous
painless
Similar words to costly
Words similar to costly shift depending on context. Common synonyms include:
expensive
high-priced
pricey
damaging
dear
ruinous
disastrous
detrimental
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Antonyms for Costly. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/antonyms/costly