LAVISH Synonyms: 204 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

lavish 1 of 2

adjective

ˈla-vish

Definition of lavish

as in excessive

going beyond a normal or acceptable limit in degree or amount this lavish consumption of our natural resources simply cannot continue

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in abundant

pouring forth in great amounts the lavish praise that the novel was receiving had some wondering if it could ever live up to readers' expectations

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in luxurious

showing obvious signs of wealth and comfort the lavish apartment even boasted a marble bathroom with gold-plated fixtures

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lavish

2 of 2

verb

as in to heap

to give readily and in large quantities doting parents lavishing lots of attention on their children

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to spend

to use up carelessly a great actor who lavished his talent in lousy movies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Accommodations range from inside staterooms to lavish suites. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026 Sequestered in a lavish mansion, in each of their rooms is a mysterious welcome gift — a box. — Peter White, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026

Verb

Altman had been making note of Kushner’s investment in founders at splashy startups, including Slack, Instacart, and payment giant Stripe—staying loyal and lavishing them with attention even during rocky stretches. — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026 Its following includes Emmy voters, who lavished the series with 19 nominations, the most of any new series this year. — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lavish

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lavish

Adjective

Higher energy density is particularly useful for drones because batteries must provide enough power and endurance without adding excessive weight.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026
Through this, scientists want to gain clarity over the legal responsibilities of launching states to preserve near-Earth space from orbital clutter and the dark night sky from excessive light pollution.

— Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of excessive

Adjective

Later that day, The Times asked visitors to share their impressions of a museum that, until now, has lived largely in the imaginations of fans and in abundant social media posts online.

— Laura Zornosa, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
According to the Burke Museum, passenger pigeons were once the most abundant bird in North America, numbering in the billions and accounting for close to 40% of the continent’s land birds when European settlers arrived in the 19th century.

— Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of abundant

Adjective

There is something debauched and luxurious about Durham’s photos, and not just because everyone in them is dressed as French aristocrats guzzling champagne and popping bon-bons.

— Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2026
The train itself isn’t luxurious, but taking it gives you a front-row seat to witness the incredible feat of engineering required to load it onto special tracks on the ferry.

— Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of luxurious

Verb

Minnesota Secretary of State Scott Simon, a Democrat, said in August that his office expects to spend roughly $250,000 on private vendors to conduct penetration testing, which can expose security vulnerabilities and recommend actionable fixes.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026
As part of the arrangement, the elder Ryan agreed to cover the lion’s share of the differences in building a new stadium, originally priced at $830 million, from the $300 million the university planned to spend on renovating the older one.

— Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of spend

Adjective

The blue carpet at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles was a sea of extravagant and unconventional ensembles featuring plenty of fur, feathers, and fringe.

— Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 28 Sep. 2026
Yet the brand’s spring 2027 collection didn’t take second place to the extravagant little details founders Corrada Rodriguez d’Acri, Delfina Pinardi and Maria Sole Torlonia added to their seasonal presentation.

— Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of extravagant

Adjective

From the outside, many learned of his recovery through her plentiful social-media posts.

— Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026
The new arc picks up in early fall, as the Shu clan’s southern territory prepares to host the Harvest Festival, a ritual in which the Crown Prince and the Maidens pray for a plentiful harvest.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of plentiful

Adjective

Adding more songs to an album with a deluxe rerelease months later can either refuel the project’s commercial potential or weigh it down with leftovers once deemed inessential.

— Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
The landmark anniversary of Winehouse’s seminal second album Back to Black will be celebrated with a deluxe reissue, which was announced last month.

— Nick Reilly, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of deluxe

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

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