Word Choice: Economic vs. Economical

‘Ironical’ means the same as ‘ironic’. Logically, then, ‘economical’ must mean the same as ‘economic’, right? That’s how a sensible language would work.

But English is not a sensible language. And although ‘economic’ and ‘economical’ look similar, you wouldn’t want to confuse them in your work.

Fret not, though! We’re here to field your vocabulary-based inquiries, which includes explaining tricky terms like ‘economic’ and ‘economical’.

Economic (Related to the Economy)

The term ‘economic’ describes something related to finances, money, markets, or economics. We might, for example, refer to an ‘economic factor’ when discussing something that influences markets:

Several economic factors contributed to the financial crash in 2008.

The bigger mystery is why stock traders need an illuminated floor. [Photo: Rafael Matsunaga]In all cases, however, ‘economic’ relates to economics and economies (i.e. the systems in which money and commodities circulate).

Economical (Value for Money)

‘Economical’ has a more precise meaning, referring to being thrifty or making effective use of money:

Our budget is limited, so we need an economical solution.

Although usually related to money, ‘economical’ can also apply wherever some resource is used sparingly or efficiently:

To make the perfect cheese and tomato jaffle, add an economical sprinkle of pepper.

Economic or Economical?

These terms are similar enough that it’s no surprise they get mixed up on a regular basis (some even accept ‘economical’ as a variation of ‘economic’).

However, for the sake of clarity, it’s a good idea to distinguish between these words in your work. One way to do this is to think of ‘economical’ as a variation of ‘economic’.

Thus, if ‘economic’ means ‘related to money’, adding ‘-al’ gives ‘economical’ the narrower meaning of ‘value for money’. Remember:

Economic = Related to the economy/money/finances

Economical = Efficient/value for money/not wasteful