cost dear

present singular third person costs dear · participle present costing dear · alternative cost dearly

1. To be expensive.

   Those extra nights tacked onto his hotel stay will cost him dear.

   1 more example

   It will cost him dear to tack additional nights onto his hotel stay.

   Synonyms: cost an arm and a leg, cost a pretty penny

2. broadlyTo cause a lot of pain or suffering.

   His intransigence will cost him dear in the end.

   1 more example

   It will cost him dear to be so intransigent for so long.