lavish 1 of 2

1
2
3

lavish

2 of 2

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
Mayan inspired spa treatments include massages, facials, and lavish therapeutic body rituals. Miriam Porter, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025 Marie Antoinette’s magpie eye for the lavish and precious — and the latest trends — knew no bounds. Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 7 July 2025
Verb
The media lavished its attention on George and basically ignored the other three band members. David Chiu, People.com, 12 June 2025 Geragos asked Jane about presents that Diddy lavished upon her, for example, seemingly to suggest that his gift-giving indicated a romantic relationship, not a ruse to trick her into kink. Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for lavish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lavish
Adjective
  • Shifting From Reactive To Proactive Security: Organizations often spend excessive time reacting to rather than preventing threats.
    Bojan Šimić, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Missouri’s Felony Murder Statute is overly broad, often misused, and excessive.
    Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
Adjective
  • There's an abundant history here that even some long-time Nashvillians may not know about.
    Alessia Sandala, The Tennessean, 12 July 2025
  • Where the Earth has a dense atmosphere, abundant water and life, Mars is a desiccated, lifeless world where even the prospects of finding fossil bacteria are a long shot.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 12 July 2025
Adjective
  • The living quarters are outfitted with luxurious materials, such as marble, teak, and bronze, as well as chic pieces from the Elie Saab Maison collection.
    Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 11 July 2025
  • The spa pairs the area’s historic healing legacy with a hyper-modern approach, elevated by luxurious Italian design and warm hospitality.
    Rona Berg, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • The introduction of a brand-new drill turns DeVries from omniscient observer to hands-on choreographer, with a heaping spoon of grace.
    Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 11 July 2025
  • Spoon a heaping cup of the meat sauce into the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish.
    Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 3 July 2025
Verb
  • The squad have spent the past week in nearby New York City, holed up in a hotel on affluent Fifth Avenue but occasionally allowed out to explore Manhattan between training sessions.
    Oliver Kay, New York Times, 12 July 2025
  • On July 12, 2015, Tiffany spent the day with her family.
    Alex Gurley, People.com, 12 July 2025
Adjective
  • Rosie O'Donnell is using her gift of gab to share her thoughts on billionaire Jeff Bezos' extravagant wedding to Lauren Sánchez over the weekend.
    Mekishana Pierre, EW.com, 30 June 2025
  • The Amazon founder, 61, and the Emmy-winning journalist, 55, recently concluded an extravagant celebration of their love, surrounded by entertainment's biggest stars, including the Kardashian-Jenner family, Oprah Winfrey and Leonardo DiCaprio.
    Kayla Grant, People.com, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • Fresh air is plentiful, relaxation is paramount, and travelers come from the Big Apple and beyond to experience it.
    Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2025
  • Despite the card’s massive print run and plentiful graded copies, PSA 10s currently command prices around $3,000, which marks a nearly 57 percent price increase over the last two years.
    Tyler Holzhammer, New York Times, 7 July 2025
Adjective
  • The deluxe edition of the singer-songwriter’s second studio album Kansas Anymore arrived earlier this year.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 2 July 2025
  • In April, Fontaines D.C. released a deluxe edition of the record with a few new tracks.
    Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lavish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lavish. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on lavish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!