costliness

IPA/ˈkɒstlinəs/
IPA/ˈkɔːstlinəs/

costliness — noun

1. how expensive something is, especially when the price feels higher than expected

1.nounC1
Definition

how expensive something is, especially when the price feels higher than expected or reasonable for what you get

Example

The costliness of the hotel shocked Talia when she saw the final bill.

the costliness of [a service/item]

Felipe compared the costliness of different phone plans before choosing one.

Common collocations
  • costliness of living
  • costliness of housing
  • costliness of healthcare
  • costliness of education
  • extreme costliness
  • prohibitive costliness
Synonyms
  • expensiveness

    more neutral and direct; less formal than costliness

  • dearness

    old-fashioned; now rarely used outside British cost-of-living discussions

  • high price

    everyday phrase; not a single-word synonym but the simplest equivalent

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

the costliness of [noun phrase]

be + the costliness of [noun phrase]

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 2: this sense refers to monetary expense only, while sense 2 refers to damage or loss that is not necessarily financial.

Common Mistakes

The costliness of the project was the time it took.
The costliness of the project was the high price of the materials.
Use 'costliness' for monetary price, not for time or effort.
This is a very costliness hotel.
This is a very costly hotel.
'Costliness' is a noun, not an adjective; use the adjective 'costly' to describe a noun directly.

2. the degree to which an action, event, or situation causes serious harm, loss, or

2.nounC2
Definition

the degree to which an action, event, or situation causes serious harm, loss, or negative consequences, often beyond what is obvious at first

Example

The costliness of the mistake became clear when the company lost its biggest client.

the costliness of [a mistake/decision]

Camille weighed the costliness of quitting her job against staying in an unhappy workplace.

Common collocations
  • true costliness
  • real costliness
  • hidden costliness
  • human costliness
  • costliness of war
  • costliness of failure
  • costliness of a decision
Synonyms
  • damage

    broader and more common; lacks the connotation of a 'price paid'

  • harm

    simpler and more direct; focuses on injury or damage

  • price

    metaphorical use, as in 'the price of success'; slightly less formal

Antonyms
  • benefit

    a positive outcome or gain

  • gain

    something acquired or won

Grammar Patterns

the costliness of [noun phrase]

Usage Note

Frequently describes non-financial costs such as harm to relationships, health, reputation, or the environment. Typically used with an adjective such as 'true', 'real', or 'hidden'.

Common Mistakes

The costliness sense 2 talks about damage.
The costliness of the war was measured in lives, not dollars.
Use costliness in a complete sentence, not as a meta-reference.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three words describe the quality of having a high price, but they differ in register and nuance. 'Costliness' is the most formal and often carries a tone of excess or extravagance — it suggests that the price is not just high but almost unreasonably so. 'Expensiveness' is the most neutral and everyday synonym: it simply states that something costs a lot of money, without judgement. 'Dearness' (from British 'dear' meaning expensive) is noticeably old-fashioned today and rarely appears outside set expressions such as 'the dearness of living'. Learners at C1–C2 level will most often encounter 'costliness' in formal or written contexts (economics reports, academic writing, news analysis), while 'expensiveness' suits both speech and writing. For example: 'The costliness of the wedding venue forced the couple to change their plans' carries a critical tone, whereas 'The expensiveness of the venue was mentioned in the review' is a neutral observation.

costliness ↗expensiveness ↗dearness

Common collocations

Nouns

  • costliness of living
  • costliness of housing
  • costliness of healthcare
  • costliness of war
  • costliness of a mistake

Adverbs

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Formed in English from the adjective 'costly' (meaning 'expensive') plus the noun suffix '-ness', which turns adjectives into nouns expressing a state or quality. 'Costly' itself was formed around the 14th century from the noun 'cost' (derived from Old French 'cost', from Latin 'constare' meaning 'to stand at a price') plus the adjective suffix '-ly'. The metaphorical sense involving great loss or damage (sense 2) developed gradually from the 17th century onward, extending the idea of 'price' from money to other kinds of sacrifice.