conspicuous consumption

noun

Definition of conspicuous consumptionnext
as in splurge

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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 conspicuous consumption As a means of conspicuous consumption the canon is poorly served, but as a destination to explore, as a complicated, contradictory, sometimes boring and often beautiful place, there can be much to be gained through a meander, a perusal, a stroll. — Literary Hub, 21 May 2026 People in normal circumstances buy with discernment that penalizes conspicuous consumption. — Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 5 May 2026 An online amalgam of conspicuous consumption, natural wonders, and manmade spectacles — like the world’s tallest tower, Abu Dhabi’s Grand Mosque, and even, yes, the vivid green of Dubai Chocolate — has propelled the emirates to superlative measures of tourism and consumer behavior. — Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026 This was not cultural architecture as economic engine, but architectural complexity as conspicuous consumption—a questionable evolution, if also an appropriate one for the most valuable luxury conglomerate in the world. — Julian Rose, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conspicuous consumption
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conspicuous consumption
  1. splurge
  2. wastefulness
  3. lavishness
  4. generosity
  5. extravagance
  6. profusion
Noun
  • For a splurge and pampered stay, book a room at the Inn at Black Star Farms just south of town.
    — Mike Norton, Midwest Living, 26 Sep. 2026
  • That willingness to pay for something that feels worth the splurge extends beyond a fashionable handbag.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of splurge
Noun
  • Such wastefulness in the first half prevented Louisiana from dragging USC into a dogfight.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Sep. 2026
  • Your hard truth is less likely to change her mind than to start an argument about the wastefulness of taking two cars.
    — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of wastefulness
Noun
  • Bezos and Sánchez Bezos received backlash for the event’s lavishness during global hardships.
    — Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The Vanity Fair of today embodies a certain sort of lavishness—an often unironic appreciation of and yearning for rich people things.
    — Naomi Skwarna, hazlitt.net, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of lavishness
Noun
  • Of equal effort but requiring far more generosity is the work Min Jin Lee has been doing for over 30 years, telling stories about the integrity of the human spirit that span time and continents.
    — Josh Zajdman, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Perez’s mom has been incredibly touched and honestly overwhelmed by everyone’s generosity.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of generosity
Noun
  • The beachside Kayuputi restaurant is easily one of the island’s best, offering extravagances like wagyu beef carpaccio and Sturia caviar.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Fernández hoped that seeing the extravagance of a pre-conquest world and hearing the poetic nature of the Nahuatl language helps to empower Latinos to feel pride in and learn more about their culture.
    — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of extravagance
Noun
  • Here, those extra voices vastly outnumber the two main characters, leading to a profusion of confusing subplots that stray away from the main themes.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026
  • During our time there, we were treated to a three-course chef’s tasting menu that was a paean to the summer; think a profusion of tomatoes, stone fruit, local soft cheeses, and edible flowers.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of profusion

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conspicuous
conspicuous consumption
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Cite this Entry

“Conspicuous consumption.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conspicuous%20consumption. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on conspicuous consumption

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about conspicuous consumption

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