conspicuous consumption

noun

: lavish or wasteful spending thought to enhance social prestige

Examples of conspicuous consumption in a Sentence

a culture of conspicuous consumption
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
We’re told in Superfine that, around 300 years ago, a new culture of conspicuous consumption, fueled by slavery, colonialism, and imperialism, enabled access to clothes signaling wealth and taste. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 8 May 2025 In other words, Miller says, the enslaved themselves were items of conspicuous consumption. Jocelyn Noveck, Twin Cities, 7 May 2025 Private flights represent peak luxury, but the application of skincare in elevated travel environments is also now a form of conspicuous consumption. Jessica Ourisman, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025 Economic cooling, policy discouragement of conspicuous consumption, and a younger generation’s shifting priorities have combined to erode growth assumptions. Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for conspicuous consumption

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of conspicuous consumption was in 1899

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Cite this Entry

“Conspicuous consumption.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conspicuous%20consumption. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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