What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
pricy
Example
The restaurant was too pricy for my taste. [pricy: adjective]
Example
I wanted to buy the dress, but it was too pricy. [pricy: adjective]
costly
Example
The repairs to the car were very costly. [costly: adjective]
Example
The company made a costly mistake by investing in the wrong product. [costly: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Costly is more commonly used than pricy in everyday language. Costly is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while pricy is less common and often used in informal contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between pricy and costly?
Costly is more versatile and can be employed in various formality levels, allowing it to be used in both formal and informal contexts. On the other hand, pricy is typically associated with a casual and informal tone.
