conspicuous consumption

American  

noun

1. public enjoyment of possessions that are known to be costly so that one's ability to pay for such things is flaunted.

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conspicuous consumption British  

noun

1. spending in a lavish or ostentatious way, esp to impress others with one's wealth

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conspicuous consumption Cultural  

1. Buying unnecessary and expensive products and services as a way to show off wealth. The term was coined by U.S. economist Thorstein Veblen in The Theory of the Leisure Class.

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Etymology

Origin of conspicuous consumption

Used by Thorstein Veblen in The Theory of the Leisure Class (1899)

Example Sentences

You risk breaking the finance-bro code by flashing signs of conspicuous consumption or daring to deviate from the norm.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

It may be that it was a happy one, and you merely feel a little self-conscious about your relative wealth, or your siblings might make occasional comments on what they see as conspicuous consumption.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 3, 2025

Posting a well-lit spritz, matcha or sardines signals leisure, affluence and wellness — conspicuous consumption, Goop-style.

From Salon • Aug. 23, 2025

The Condé Nast glory era really kicked off in the 1980s, as conspicuous consumption swept through the land.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 14, 2025

But despite his aversion to money and conspicuous consumption, Chris’s political leanings could not be described as liberal.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer