verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
General-American:/iˈkɑnəmaɪz/
Received-Pronunciation:/iˈkɒnəmaɪz/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:IH0 K AA1 N AH0 M AY2 Z
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:IY0 K AA1 N AH0 M AY2 Z
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To practice being economical (by using things sparingly or in moderation, and by avoiding waste or extravagance).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To use frugally.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
use cautiously and frugally
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
I try to economize my spare time
conserve your energy for the ascent to the summit
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: conserve, husband, economise
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: save, preserve
Narrower terms: retrench
4
verb
Meaning 4
spend sparingly, avoid the waste of
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
This move will save money
The less fortunate will have to economize now
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: save, economise
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: spend, expend, drop
Narrower terms: tighten one's belt
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English economy Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English economize From economy + -ize.
Across languages
Translations
33 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
اِقْتَصَدَ
(iqtaṣada)
— to use sparingly
Arabic:
اِدَّخَرَ
(iddaḵara)
— to use sparingly
Catalan:
economitzar
— to use sparingly
Catalan:
estalviar
— to use sparingly
Chinese Cantonese:
慳皮 /悭皮
— to use sparingly
Chinese Mandarin:
節約 /节约
(jiéyuē)
— to use sparingly
Chinese Mandarin:
節省 /节省
(jiéshěng)
— to use sparingly
Chinese Mandarin:
撙節 /撙节
(zǔnjié)
— to use sparingly
Dutch:
bezuinigen
— to use sparingly
Dutch:
economiseren
— to use sparingly
Esperanto:
ŝpari
— to use sparingly
French:
économiser
— to use sparingly
French:
épargner
— to use sparingly
German:
einsparen
— to use sparingly
German:
ökonomisieren
— to use sparingly
Greek:
οικονομώ
(oikonomó)
— to use sparingly
Ido:
sparar
— to use sparingly
Japanese:
節約する
(setsuyaku suru)
— to use sparingly
Kazakh:
үнемдеу
(ünemdeu)
— to use sparingly
Korean:
절약하다
(jeoryakhada)
— to use sparingly
Māori:
whakamoamoa
— to use sparingly
Māori:
whāomoomo
— to use sparingly
Māori:
whakaomoomo
— to use sparingly
Polish:
oszczędzać
— to use sparingly
Polish:
oszczędzić
— to use sparingly
Polish:
zaoszczędzić
— to use sparingly
Russian:
эконо́мить
(ekonómitʹ)
— to use sparingly
Russian:
сэконо́мить
(sɛkonómitʹ)
— to use sparingly
Russian:
эконо́мничать
(ekonómničatʹ)
— to use sparingly
Russian:
сберега́ть
(sberegátʹ)
— to use sparingly
