spree

play

noun \ ˈsprē \

Definition of spree

:an unrestrained indulgence in or outburst of an activity

a buying spree

; also :a drunken revel :binge

See spree defined for English-language learners

See spree defined for kids

Examples of spree in a Sentence

They went on a killing spree.
went on a spending spree

Recent Examples of spree from the Web

The major problem with the Bush-era hiring spree was that as the agency doubled in size, its screening process grew lax.

— laura bradley, vanityfair.com, "John Oliver and Will Arnett Made Trump an Honest Recruitment Ad," 7 Aug. 2017
The company found the spending spree totals included $970,734 on travel; $606,887 on clothing and accessories; $552,662 on home decor and improvement; and $279,231 on jewelry, among other line items.

— gregory pratt, chicagotribune.com, "Escort not savvy enough to commit fraud with exec who funded lifestyle with company cash: lawyer," 4 Aug. 2017
The hiring spree led to a surge in inflows in the first half, when client money under management grew 6 percent to 355 billion francs ($366 billion), the bank said in its earnings report last week.

— patrick winters, Bloomberg.com, "Julius Baer Expands in Britain as Rivals Plan Brexit Moves," 3 Aug. 2017
An unnerving deep-dive into the investigation of the Zodiac's killing spree in 1970s San Francisco, director David Fincher's 2007 thriller may be the best American film of the past decade.

— nick schager, Esquire, "Here Are the Must-Stream Movies of August 2017," 28 July 2017
Versace's murder was the fifth in Cunanan's months-long crime spree; four other men were killed before the famed designer.

— marlena scott, Teen Vogue, "Gianni Versace's Murder, Explained," 6 July 2017
On April 25, 1997, Cunanan is believed to have left San Diego at the beginning of a three-month killing spree that resulted in the death of five men.

— marlena scott, Teen Vogue, "Gianni Versace's Murder, Explained," 6 July 2017
In response to a recent spree of thefts in a few streets in Edgewood – a micro hotspot, Simpson said, when 13 thefts were reported in a 30-hour period –

— erika butler, The Aegis, "Sheriff's Office says lock your vehicles," 5 July 2017
At least 14 curbside mailboxes were destroyed or damaged in a vandalism spree on Naperville's far southwest side, according to police and online records.

— bill bird, Naperville Sun, "Vandals smash more than a dozen mailboxes in far southwest Naperville," 30 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spree.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.