is rather costly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "is rather costly" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the expense or high price of something in a somewhat formal or polite manner. Example: "While the new software offers many features, it is rather costly for small businesses to implement."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

Such cooling requires the use of liquefied helium, which is rather costly.

Encyclopedia Britannica

It is rather costly, at $100 for a six-month subscription that includes all participating papers, or $7.99 for a six-month subscription covering one paper.

The New York Times - Tech

Maybe I should mention that car ownership is rather costly in Singapore.

Science Magazine

The downside is that it is rather costly, socking investors with an annual bite of a high 1.91% of assets.

Forbes

As an alternative, cremation is a great option but, it still is rather costly, and the cremation process is not yet refined to the point of being completely Earth-friendly either.

Los Angeles Times

However, in our experience, this method of CD34+ determination is rather costly and time-consuming (exhibiting a standard response time of 1-2 hours).

BioMed Research International

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

The test vehicle, at more than $40,000, was rather costly.

The New York Times

Correcting erectile dysfunction, alas, is not so simple — and it can be rather costly.

The New York Times

"I have things that cost nothing, and some that have been rather costly, but they all have a place," he said.

The New York Times

Broadbent noted, however, that reacting to a likely rise in inflation by raising interest rates could be "rather costly in terms of unemployment … This is not what the MPC is meant to do".

The Guardian - Business

While the score did not hurt either team, the game was rather costly for the MetroStars because Lothar Matthaus was given a yellow card with five minutes left in regulation and will miss Saturday's game at Dallas as a result of accumulating too many yellow-card points.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "is rather costly" when you want to convey that something is expensive without being overly dramatic. It's suitable for formal writing where a neutral tone is preferred.

Common error

Avoid using "is rather costly" in casual conversations or informal writing. Alternatives like "is quite expensive" or "is a bit pricey" may be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is rather costly" functions as a predicative adjective phrase. According to Ludwig AI, it's a standard phrase used to describe something as being moderately expensive. It connects a subject to the idea of being 'costly', with 'rather' acting as an intensifier.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

47%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "is rather costly" is a useful expression to indicate that something is moderately expensive, suitable for formal contexts. According to Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct. It serves to inform the audience of a notable price, potentially influencing their considerations. It's commonly used in news and media, as well as scientific and business publications. While effective, overuse in informal settings should be avoided, instead opting for alternatives like "is pretty expensive". Remember that "is rather costly" strikes a balance, portraying expense without exaggeration.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is quite expensive

Uses a different intensifier ("quite" instead of "rather") and a more common synonym for costly ("expensive").

is fairly pricey

Employs "fairly" as an intensifier and "pricey" as a more informal synonym for costly.

is somewhat dear

Replaces "rather" with "somewhat" and "costly" with "dear", resulting in a more antiquated tone.

is excessively high-priced

Uses stronger terms to emphasize the high cost, making it sound more critical.

is unduly expensive

Similar to excessively high-priced, this phrase stresses that the cost is not justified.

is on the high side

An idiomatic expression indicating that something is more expensive than expected or desired.

comes at a premium

Implies the high cost is associated with higher quality or exclusivity.

carries a heavy price tag

A more figurative way of saying something is costly, emphasizing the financial burden.

represents a significant investment

Frames the cost as an investment, implying a potential return or long-term value.

proves to be uneconomical

Focuses on the lack of economic sense in relation to the cost.

FAQs

What does "is rather costly" mean?

The phrase "is rather costly" means that something is quite expensive, but perhaps not extremely so. It suggests a moderate level of expensiveness.

When is it appropriate to use "is rather costly"?

It's appropriate to use "is rather costly" in formal or semi-formal contexts where you want to express that something is expensive in a subtle or understated way.

What are some alternatives to "is rather costly"?

You can use alternatives like "is quite expensive", "is fairly pricey", or "is somewhat dear" depending on the context.

Is "is rather costly" more or less formal than "is very expensive"?

"Is rather costly" is generally considered more formal and understated than "is very expensive". The latter is more direct and can be used in a wider range of contexts.