lavish

[ lav-ish ]

adjective

1. expended, bestowed, or occurring in profusion:

   lavish spending.

   Synonyms: wild, unrestrained, wasteful, unreasonable, thriftless, intemperate, improvident, immoderate, extravagant, excessive

   Antonyms: meager, sparing

2. using or giving in great amounts; prodigal (often followed by of ):

   lavish of his time;

   lavish of affection.

   Synonyms: unsparing, openhanded, munificent, liberal, free, effusive, bountiful, generous

   Antonyms: tight-fisted, tight, stingy, parsimonious, miserly, cheap

verb (used with object)

1. to expend or give in great amounts or without limit:

   to lavish gifts on a person.

   Synonyms: dissipate, squander, waste, shower, heap

   Antonyms: withhold, stint, begrudge

lavish

/ ˈlævɪʃ /

adjective

1. prolific, abundant, or profuse
2. generous; unstinting; liberal
3. extravagant; prodigal; wasteful

   lavish expenditure

verb

1. tr to give, expend, or apply abundantly, generously, or in profusion

Derived Forms

• ˈlavisher, noun
• ˈlavishly, adverb
• ˈlavishment, noun
• ˈlavishness, noun

Other Words From

• lav·ish·er noun
• lav·ish·ly adverb
• lav·ish·ness noun
• o·ver·lav·ish adjective
• o·ver·lav·ish·ness noun
• un·lav·ish adjective
• un·lav·ished adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lavish¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English lavas “profusion” (noun), “profuse” (adjective), from Middle French lavasse, lavache “downpour of rain,” derivative of laver “to wash,” from Latin lavāre

Word History and Origins

Origin of lavish¹

C15: adj use of lavas profusion, from Old French lavasse torrent, from Latin lavāre to wash

Synonym Study

Lavish, prodigal, profuse refer to that which exists in abundance and is poured out copiously. Lavish suggests (sometimes excessive) generosity and openhandedness: lavish hospitality; much too lavish. Prodigal suggests wastefulness, improvidence, and reckless impatience of restraint: a prodigal extravagance. Profuse emphasizes abundance, but may suggest overemotionalism, exaggeration, or the like: profuse thanks, compliments, apologies.

Example Sentences

Attacking a celebrity will almost always produce more attention than lavishing praise on them.

From The Daily Beast

The publication flourished in an era of lavish entertaining and grew from 16 pages in its earliest editions to 300 pages at its peak in the 1980s.

From Washington Post

Obviously, if Kim had revealed that she and her family became sick right after returning from her vacation, all hell would have broken loose, the immediate assumption that she must have been exposed while on the lavish trip.

From The Daily Beast

Nathan Finkel was on the grounds of his lavish, 16,313-square-foot South Florida mansion Saturday morning when strangers arrived at his gate, demanding to come inside to set up for their wedding.

From Washington Post

In 2016, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General opened a new investigation into the charity’s board for apparently violating the 2013 agreement, along with lavish travel, board infighting and new allegations of conflicts of interest.

From ProPublica

Of course, it could be hard to see that logic through all the lavish weirdness of the proposal.

From The Daily Beast

Lobbyists use these trips to lavish bounty on Congressmen, far from prying eyes.

From The Daily Beast

The Kardashians paid more than $400,000 to rent out the lavish grounds.

From The Daily Beast

The train is lavish in a rich cream color and measures 11.8 feet.

From The Daily Beast

The lavish parties were part of his cover, and after his arrest by the Egyptians he earned the nickname “the Champagne Spy.”

From The Daily Beast

In New York he was much impressed with the "elegant country seats," with the bountiful hospitality, and the lavish way of living.

From Project Gutenberg

Little patches may be seen near their huts, on which they lavish their attention and care.

From Project Gutenberg

The critics were fulsome in their praise and the public was lavish with its plaudits, but I was abjectly miserable.

From Project Gutenberg

The place lies high and in the open, and lacks the lavish shade of the more protected New England villages.

From Project Gutenberg

Dazzled by the more lavish gifts, she looked listlessly and disdainfully at bodkins, three for twopence.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bountiful
• effusive
• excessive
• extravagant
• exuberant
• generous
• gorgeous
• grand
• lush
• luxurious
• opulent
• plush
• posh
• profligate
• ritzy
• sumptuous
• swanky
• wasteful