adjective

frugal

/ˈfruːɡəl/ · say it: FROO·gul

sparing and economical with money or resources

In Sophisticated Everyday

In more detail

1. (adjective) using money and resources carefully and not wastefully; spending only what is necessary

2. (adjective) costing very little money; inexpensive

Examples

1. She has a frugal lifestyle and rarely buys things she doesn't need.
2. They enjoyed a frugal meal of rice and beans.

How to use frugal

Frugal typically describes a person's approach to spending or a habit of careful resource management, with a generally positive connotation suggesting wisdom rather than stinginess. It differs from miserly or stingy, which imply an ungenerous unwillingness to spend. The second sense (inexpensive) is less common in modern usage but appears in phrases like 'a frugal meal.'

Common phrases

frugal lifestyle
frugal living
frugal shopper
frugal meal
frugal with money

Synonyms

economical · thrifty · sparing · prudent · parsimonious

Opposites

extravagant · wasteful · profligate

Word family

frugality (noun) · frugally (adverb)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse frugal with cheap, which can have a negative connotation of poor quality, whereas frugal is about spending wisely regardless of quality.

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