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Economical vs Effective - What's the difference?

economical | effective |

As adjectives the difference between economical and effective

is that economical is careful with money so as not to spend too much; prudent; thrifty while effective is having the power to produce a required effect or effects.

As a noun effective is

a soldier fit for duty.

economical

English

Alternative forms

* economicall (obsolete) * (archaic) * (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Careful with money so as not to spend too much; prudent; thrifty.
  • Relating to economy in any other sense.
  • Usage notes

    Modern usage prefers economic' when describing the economy of a region or country (and when referring to personal or family budgeting).
    '
    Economical
    is preferred when referring to thrift or value for money.

    Derived terms

    * economically * economical with the truth

    See also

    * economic

    effective

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Having the power to produce a required effect or effects.
  • The pill is an effective method of birth control.
  • Producing a decided or decisive effect.
  • The president delivered an effective speech!
  • * Jeremy Taylor
  • Whosoever is an effective , real cause of doing his neighbour wrong, is criminal.
  • Efficient, serviceable, or operative, available for useful work.
  • How long does it take to make a bunch of civilians an effective military force?
    My effective income after taxes and child support is $500 a month.
    The effective radiated power is determined by multiplying the transmitter power output with the antenna gain.
    The effective voltage of an alternating current is 0.7 times its peak voltage.
  • Actually in effect.
  • The curfew is effective at midnight.
  • Having no negative coefficients.
  • Noun

    (en noun)
  • (military) A soldier fit for duty.
  • *1876 , , Recollections of the Elkhorn Campaign :
  • *:The Army of the West reached Corinth sometime after the battle of Shiloh. We were 15,000 effectives , and brought Beauregard's effective force up to 45,000 men.
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