false economy

noun

An attempt to economize that fails because the less expensive approach is inferior in some way, or ultimately wastes more money than was saved.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounfalse economy (countable and uncountable, plural false economies)

plural false economies

  1. countableuncountableAn attempt to economize that fails because the less expensive approach is inferior in some way, or ultimately wastes more money than was saved.

    On the other hand, when money is saved and the efficiency of the school is injured, that is a false economy.

    1943, Ward Glen Reeder, A First Course in Education
    1 more example

    "If the suggestion is merely to delay the opening of Euston, then you may save some money in the very short term. But by delaying works, allowing more inflation to creep in, you will actually add to the overall cost. It would be a totally false economy."

    2023 February 8, Paul Stephen, “Network News: Hunt dismisses rumours that HS2 will not go to Euston”, in RAIL, number 976, page 25

Translations

Finnish väärä säästö, kallis säästö
  • väärä säästöfailed attempt to economize
  • kallis säästöfailed attempt to economize
Polish pozorna oszczędność
  • pozorna oszczędnośćfailed attempt to economize
Cite this entry
APA

false economy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/false%20economy

MLA

“false economy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/false%20economy. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “false economy,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/false%20economy.

Source: false economy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.