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Definition of lavishnext
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lavish

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word lavish distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of lavish are exuberant, lush, luxuriant, prodigal, and profuse. While all these words mean "giving or given out in great abundance," lavish suggests an unstinted or unmeasured profusion.

a lavish party

When might exuberant be a better fit than lavish?

The words exuberant and lavish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, exuberant implies marked vitality or vigor in what produces abundantly.

an exuberant imagination

In what contexts can lush take the place of lavish?

In some situations, the words lush and lavish are roughly equivalent. However, lush suggests rich, soft luxuriance.

a lush green lawn

When is it sensible to use luxuriant instead of lavish?

Although the words luxuriant and lavish have much in common, luxuriant suggests a rich and splendid abundance.

a luxuriant beard

When is prodigal a more appropriate choice than lavish?

The synonyms prodigal and lavish are sometimes interchangeable, but prodigal implies reckless or wasteful lavishness threatening to lead to early exhaustion of resources.

prodigal spending

When would profuse be a good substitute for lavish?

The meanings of profuse and lavish largely overlap; however, profuse implies pouring forth without restraint.

profuse apologies

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 lavish
Adjective
Since 2024, lawmakers have hosted fundraisers at Beyoncé and Taylor Swift concerts, Disneyland, Las Vegas and lavish resorts such as Pelican Hill in Newport Beach. Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 11 Jan. 2026 The Sphere show, which put Dead & Company amid a lavish multimedia spectacle that employed materials from the Grateful Dead’s expansive archives, was thought by many to be Mayer’s baby. Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Verb
Huang is far from the only tech leader lavishing Trump with praise. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026 The neighborhood/area Zafferana Etnea is just one of several Etna towns worth exploring, each with a handful of charming dining options that range from rustic to lavish, like Sabir Gourmanderie, a drive down the road from Monaci. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lavish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lavish
Adjective
  • Commissioners dismissed the allegations related to donor information but found that Ellis had accepted excessive contributions.
    Chaya Tong, Austin American Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
  • The restrictions, known as a consent decree, were a result of a 2017 lawsuit over excessive use of solitary confinement and pepper spray on inmates.
    Molly Beck, jsonline.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Sulfur is the 10th most abundant element in the universe and a critical component of amino acids, proteins and enzymes on Earth.
    Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
  • This popular usage makes abundant sense.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Her nursery is luxurious with cushions and toys, soft rugs and sofas.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
  • In terms of places to stay, the region’s revival has been led by the arrival of Fowlescombe Farm, a 450-acre regenerative retreat near the wilds of Dartmoor featuring 10 luxurious suites housed in timeworn stone barns and a Victorian farmhouse, decorated in a sleek but sensitive contemporary style.
    Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the mixture in the center of a wrapper.
    Mackensy Lunsford, Nashville Tennessean, 29 Dec. 2025
  • The recipe yielded four heaping servings that would honestly go a lot further at a potluck.
    Brittany Loggins, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Joabe Barbosa, Matthew Plese and Omar Yousaf spent the day riding the entire MARTA rail system in an attempt to complete the full route in roughly three hours.
    Kaley Fedko, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Visitors can spend their entire trip switching off between the two, but be sure to take some time to explore the rocky cove beaches called calas that have made Costa Blanca famous.
    Liz Provencher, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • What extravagant actions can a life of astonishing clothes inspire?
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Since the royal Netflix show first premiered in December 2020, fans have fallen in love with its steamy romance, extravagant costumes and wide range of classical covers of some of the biggest pop hits.
    Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • One has a drier environment with plentiful airflow, while the other has a humid climate.
    Heather Bien, Southern Living, 6 Jan. 2026
  • Travel headaches were plentiful throughout the two-day ordeal, with luggage being separated from its owners as flights across the country trickled to a stop.
    Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Choose a deluxe cabin for the full crew, which comes with either two queen beds or a queen bed and a pull-out sofa, sleeping up to four people.
    Jenny Willden, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Now three decades later, Sideshow has become the internet’s premier destination for deluxe pop culture collectibles, offering not only statues and figures crafted by Sideshow’s artisans but also a huge range of officially licensed products from artists all over the world.
    Robert Lang, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Lavish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lavish. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

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