lavish 1 of 2

adjective

ˈla-vish How to pronounce lavish (audio)
Definition of lavishnext
1
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
2
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
3
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

1
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
2
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
Her and Bezos’s families were officially blended in June 2025, when the couple held a lavish wedding ceremony in Venice, Italy. —Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 11 June 2026 Authorities allege the majority of the funds were used to make lavish purchases and buy real estate. —Claire Wang, Oc Register, 10 June 2026
Verb
Kerr, who has also lavished praise upon Brown, 56, whenever asked about him, made sure to give Atkinson his due before a December game in Cleveland. —Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 18 May 2026 Sources close to Calvert-Lewin have lavished praise on how impressive this and subsequent calls were with the Leeds hierarchy, while United felt that the first pitch turned the striker’s curiosity about the club into a realisation that this could really work for him. —Beren Cross, New York Times, 17 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for lavish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lavish
  1. excessive
  2. abundant
  3. luxurious
  4. heap
  5. spend
  6. extravagant
  7. plentiful
  8. deluxe
Adjective
  • Too much iron can be dangerous, and excessive vitamin D may lead to high calcium levels and other complications.
    — Sara Hoffman, Verywell Health, 18 June 2026
  • Study author Alexandros Vgontzas, MD, director of the Sleep Research and Treatment Center at Penn State College of Medicine, told Health the results suggest that excessive daytime sleepiness and prolonged sleep latency may be important risk factors for hypertension.
    — Zoe Cunniffe, Health, 18 June 2026
Definition of excessive
Adjective
  • The Nottingham team engineered their materials entirely from earth-abundant, inexpensive elements.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 June 2026
  • As information becomes faster, cheaper and more abundant, the ability to properly filter that information becomes exponentially more important.
    — Kevin Brady, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Definition of abundant
Adjective
  • Investing in a decadent body butter is like upgrading your flimsy blanket to a plush throw or changing scratchy sheets for a luxurious cotton set—the small change makes a huge difference in your life.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 16 June 2026
  • Thoughtful amenities include complimentary bottled water, hydration packets, and plush beds with a selection of Malouf pillows for a luxurious night’s sleep, while floor-to-ceiling windows and private balconies or patios showcase the scenery.
    — Tamara Gane, Travel + Leisure, 15 June 2026
Definition of luxurious
Verb
  • Yet the extremist group has mobilized its members and media outlets to ramp up criticism of the agreement, heaping pressure on Iranian negotiators who have been attempting to extract concessions from a US administration intent on weakening – and possibly ending – the Islamic Republic.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
  • Little surprise that the pair explore the wider context of Brazil’s 1970 World Cup triumph, namely the military dictatorship that sapped national pride and heaped enormous pressure on a team — one who’d stunk up the tournament four years earlier — to restore it.
    — Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 10 June 2026
Definition of heap
Verb
  • But with a growing awareness of the mental health risks posed by children spending too much time online, Starmer has decided to go further after speaking to parents and considering evidence from Australia, which brought in a ban for under-16s last year.
    — Reuters, CNN Money, 15 June 2026
  • Carolina spent the first part of the Stanley Cup Final surviving, finding ways to overcome deficits and play a high-scoring game that didn’t fit the Hurricanes’ typical style.
    — Mark Anderson, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
Definition of spend
Adjective
  • Rather than trying to gulp the slimy thing down, Wilkinson went into the kitchen and prepared an extravagant breakfast for himself, complete with Dr Pepper to wash it down.
    — Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 12 June 2026
  • Often referred to as the Versailles Townhouse, the property is among the Upper East Side‘s most extravagant private residences.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 June 2026
Definition of extravagant
Adjective
  • Scavengers were plentiful on the more recent remains, with one whale fall hosting up to 2,840 organisms in a single square meter.
    — Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 12 June 2026
  • Like most Travelon products, its anti-theft features—like locking zippers and a hidden pocket perfect for keeping a passport —are plentiful.
    — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 11 June 2026
Definition of plentiful
Adjective
  • At the same time, BTS widely shares a tune that was originally only featured on a deluxe version of Arirang, which was made available to purchase on vinyl.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
  • Although Kirby Smart and mascot Hairy Dawg made the rather crowded deluxe cover of the college football game in 2026, no Georgia or Georgia Tech player has ever received such an honor.
    — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 3 June 2026
Definition of deluxe

Browse Nearby Words

laving
lavish
lavished
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lavish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lavish. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on lavish

Nglish: Translation of lavish for Spanish Speakers

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of indomitable

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Canceled' or 'cancelled'?

5 Verbal Slip Ups and Language Mistakes

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

8 Obscure Words for Sleepy Times

Cattywampus, Taradiddle, and More Funny-Sounding Words

The Words of the Week - Jun 19

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

'Canceled' or 'cancelled'?

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

8 Obscure Words for Sleepy Times
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
boy-thinking-light-bulb
Quiz: Are You An Idiom Expert? Figure out what these figures of speech actually ...
See All