Meaning & use
economically sound
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Meanings
adjectivenot comparable
likely to make enough money to be worth doing, or based on sensible financial thinking.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after linking verbs like be, seem, look: The plan is economically sound.
Patterns
- an economically sound plan
- economically sound investments
- be economically sound
The mayor promised an economically sound budget that would not raise taxes.
Their new factory is economically sound because it uses cheap local materials.
It may be environmentally friendly, but is it economically sound?
adjectivenot comparable
reasonable and unlikely to cause financial problems, especially in business or government decisions.
Grammar: Often describes policies, arguments, or decisions rather than physical things.
Patterns
- an economically sound argument
- economically sound policy
The report said the proposal was not economically sound and should be rejected.
They need economically sound advice before they invest.
Common combinations
- economically sound plan
- The board approved an economically sound plan to cut costs.
- economically sound investment
- She wanted an economically sound investment with low risk.
- economically sound decision
- Buying the building was an economically sound decision.
- remain economically sound
- The company must remain economically sound during the crisis.
Synonyms and how they differ
- profitable
- Focuses on making money; economically sound is broader and can also mean sensible financial planning.
- viable
- Means able to work successfully; economically sound specifically stresses money and finances.
- cost-effective
- Means good value for the money spent, while economically sound can describe whole plans or policies.
Opposites
Word family
- economic adjective
- Relating to the economy or money in general.
- economical adjective
- Using money or resources without waste.
- economically adverb
- In a way that relates to money or the economy.
- economy noun
- The system of money, trade, and industry in a country.
Commonly confused: economically sound or economical? economically sound or economic?
economically sound vs economical
Economical means not wasteful (an economical car), while economically sound means financially sensible or profitable.
economically sound vs economic
Economic relates to the economy (economic growth), but economically sound describes something that makes financial sense.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'economically sound' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The phrase means financially sensible, so it describes plans or decisions. Option An is wrong because 'economically sound' does not mean fuel-efficient; that is 'economical'. Option C and D are grammatically impossible.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “economically sound”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.