excessively costly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "excessively costly" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is unreasonably expensive or beyond what is considered reasonable in terms of cost. Example: "The renovations for the old building turned out to be excessively costly, far exceeding our initial budget."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

This struck me as excessively costly, and bad for the hearing.

The New York Times

But pursuing flawed and excessively costly policies will result in the evaporation of public consent - and provoke an upsurge of dusgust and anger.

The Guardian

The result is expanding the zone within which we have to suppress fires – a strategy that is excessively costly (over half of the U.S. Forest Service budget is now spent on fire suppression! (pdf)) and that is ultimately futile.

University of California, Berkeley

Supporters of weakening the standards including those in the Trump administration—argue that the current standards would be excessively costly to consumers and automakers, while providing little or no benefit to the public.

Columbia University

The hope is that doctors would be motivated to deliver only the most appropriate care, not needless and excessively costly care, with safeguards to ensure that they do not skimp on quality.

The New York Times

And, in several districts, Edison schools have come under fire for receiving a disproportionate share of public funds; at least two districts have moved to terminate what they consider excessively costly contracts with the company.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

However, taking topological constraints into account would be excessively time costly.

Bioinformatics

In addition, global terrorism has made operating securely in some countries, like Iraq, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Sudan, excessively complex and costly.

Forbes

"So not excessively excessive.

The New York Times

For years, children's advocates fought for nationwide standards, something many states -- particularly Southern ones that have traditionally allowed high ratios -- opposed as excessively intrusive, unnecessary and costly.

The New York Times

Page A18 FIGHT OVER POTATOES AND SALT A proposal to cut back on potatoes and sodium in a federally funded school lunch program has provoked a fight in Congress where lawmakers from Colorado, Maine, Minnesota and other farm states have banded together with food service companies to oppose what they call costly and excessively restrictive rules.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "excessively costly", ensure that the context clearly indicates what the cost is excessive relative to. For example, "The project was excessively costly compared to its initial budget."

Common error

Avoid using "excessively costly" when you simply mean "very costly". "Excessively" implies that the cost is beyond reasonable or justifiable limits, not just that it's high.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "excessively costly" functions as an adjectival modifier, typically describing a noun (e.g., a project, a policy, a service). It indicates that the cost associated with something is not just high, but unreasonably or unjustifiably so. As Ludwig AI states, the phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Academia

32%

Science

24%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "excessively costly" is a grammatically correct and commonly used adjectival modifier indicating that something is unreasonably expensive. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. It appears frequently in news, academic, and scientific contexts, serving to express concern or disapproval about unwarranted high costs. To enhance writing, ensure the context clarifies what the cost is excessive relative to, and be mindful of the stronger negative connotation compared to simply saying "very costly".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

excessively priced

A close synonym, simply replacing "costly" with "priced".

prohibitively expensive

Highlights the financial impossibility or difficulty due to the high cost.

unreasonably priced

Focuses on the perceived unfairness or lack of justification for the cost.

exorbitantly priced

Emphasizes the extreme and often exploitative nature of the price.

overpriced significantly

Indicates a considerable difference between the actual value and the cost.

unduly expensive

Suggests that the cost is inappropriate or unwarranted in the given situation.

extravagantly priced

Implies that the cost is beyond what is necessary or reasonable.

astronomically expensive

Uses hyperbole to convey the immense and unrealistic nature of the cost.

unjustifiably costly

Highlights the lack of valid reasons for the high price.

wastefully expensive

Focuses on the inefficient use of resources associated with the cost.

FAQs

How to use "excessively costly" in a sentence?

Use "excessively costly" to describe something that is unreasonably expensive or beyond what is considered reasonable. For example: "The project's delays made the final result "excessively costly"."

What can I say instead of "excessively costly"?

You can use alternatives like "prohibitively expensive", "unreasonably priced", or "exorbitantly priced" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What's the difference between "excessively costly" and "very costly"?

"Excessively costly" implies that the cost is beyond what is reasonable or justifiable. "Very costly" simply means the cost is high. The former has a stronger connotation of being unwarranted.

Is it redundant to say "excessively costly"?

While both words relate to expense, "excessively" adds the nuance of being beyond a reasonable or acceptable level, making the phrase more descriptive than just saying something is "costly".