Synonym Chooser

How is the word luxurious distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of luxurious are sensual, sensuous, and voluptuous. While all these words mean "relating to or providing pleasure through gratification of the senses," luxurious suggests the indulgence of sensuous pleasure inducing bodily ease and languor.

a luxurious hotel

When is it sensible to use sensual instead of luxurious?

The synonyms sensual and luxurious are sometimes interchangeable, but sensual tends to imply the gratification of the senses or the indulgence of the physical appetites as ends in themselves.

a life devoted to sensual pleasures

When is sensuous a more appropriate choice than luxurious?

In some situations, the words sensuous and luxurious are roughly equivalent. However, sensuous implies gratification of the senses for the sake of aesthetic pleasure.

the sensuous delights of great music

When might voluptuous be a better fit than luxurious?

The meanings of voluptuous and luxurious largely overlap; however, voluptuous implies more strongly an abandonment especially to sensual pleasure.

a voluptuous feast

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of luxurious There’s also a chance to stay in a hotel that could easily pass for a castle, a luxurious five-star abode with rooms overlooking the scenic Perthshire countryside and spacious self-catering lodges. Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025 Known as Azalea Retreat, this luxurious lakeside estate, featured as Margo and Jed’s lake home in the series, is located on Lake Norman in Sherrills Ford, approximately 45 minutes north of Charlotte. Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 14 Aug. 2025 This soft, gooey skillet cookie was topped with toffee, fudge, caramel, and vanilla ice cream for a luxurious dessert worth saving room after dinner. Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2025 Each piece in the Time Objects collection, now available on the Tiffany & Co. website and in boutiques, may seem like a luxurious toy at first glance. India Brown, Robb Report, 14 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for luxurious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for luxurious
Adjective
  • Reuters uncovered an internal Meta document that allowed its AI chatbots to flirt with children and engage in sensual conversations.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2025
  • CiCi energy abounds—whether elevated androgynous or sensual and feminine, Ciara’s looks are always stage-ready.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • These albums began the series of ace archival projects over the past decade, starting with the pivotal deluxe editions of Sgt. Pepper and the White Album, as well as films like Eight Days A Week: The Touring Years, Beatles ’64, and Peter Jackson’s Get Back.
    Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Boasting 13 tracks and an additional 12 tracks across several deluxe versions, Swift's 10th album smashed streaming records for both the highest single day and the highest single week while also selling one million copies in its debut week.
    Nicole Sands, People.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • But there are multiple suspects in Abby's case, and the truth highlights the consequences of the Hunting Wives' reckless, hedonistic lifestyle.
    Mekishana Pierre Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Next door in Germany, Berlin’s reign as the hedonistic party capital of Europe might be coming to an end.
    Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 5 July 2025
Adjective
  • Beyond it is a three-hectare haven of silvery olive trees, luxuriant Washingtonia palms, and lawns where peacocks wander freely.
    Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
  • Meanwhile, a beard provided a simpler solution: a luxuriant facial covering requiring only the occasional scissor trim—no barber necessary.
    Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 21 July 2025
Adjective
  • Menu highlights include Bavarian pretzels, hot wings, pizza, burgers and lavish charcuterie boards.
    Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Since turning into tourist hot spots, these lavish bathrooms helped drive Deji’s daily foot traffic to a record 335,000 during the Labor Day Golden Week in May.
    Denni Hu, Footwear News, 14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • But now, the historic home faces something beautiful and meaningful: the city's newest park.
    Dana Afana, Freep.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Across time and place, House of Smoke moves toward a reckoning with the troubled South that shaped my worldview and an appreciation for the many gifts my beautiful and tragic mother bestowed.
    John T. Edge, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • This is the type of show the Met does best: scholarly and sumptuous.
    Shauna Lyon, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2025
  • While preservationists, historians, and the American Institute of Architects have scrutinized the appropriateness of this forthcoming East Ballroom and its sumptuous design, the style itself has its own political connotations.
    Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 14 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Luxurious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/luxurious. Accessed 29 Aug. 2025.

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