SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
frugal
adjective
Careful to avoid unnecessary spending or waste.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Avoiding waste
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topFrugal and thrifty are usually approving; parsimonious can criticize excessive unwillingness to spend.
RELATED FORMS, ONE FEATURED ENTRY
The frugal family
These forms are closely related, but their grammar and use are not identical. Expand a form to compare its meaning and examples.
frugalitynoun
Careful avoidance of waste in using money or resources.
Careful avoidance of waste in using money or resources
Closest synonyms
Related expressions
Her frugality allowed the workshop to replace its oldest tools.
The small household practiced frugality without sacrificing hospitality.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See frugal in use
The frugal traveler repaired her bag instead of replacing it.
Rafi proposed a frugal approach that reused suitable items already in storage.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license