Meaning & use

frugal

adjective·Academic

Careful and economical with money or resources, avoiding unnecessary spending or waste.

See it in a sentence

Growing up during hard times taught him to be frugal with every paycheck.

The frugal couple saved enough for a house by cooking most of their own meals.

A note on using this word

Frugal usually carries a positive tone, unlike "stingy," which suggests unwilling generosity toward others.

Words with a similar meaning

thriftyeconomical

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

wastefulextravagant

Make it your own

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