extravagance

American  

[ik-strav-uh-guhns] / ɪkˈstræv ə gəns /

noun

• extravagances
  plural

1. excessive or unnecessary expenditure or outlay of money.

   Antonyms:

   frugality

2. an instance of this.

   That sports car is an inexcusable extravagance.

3. unrestrained or fantastic excess, as of actions or opinions.

   Synonyms:

   profusion, lavishness

4. an extravagant action, notion, etc..

   the extravagances one commits in moments of stress.

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extravagance British  

/ ɪkˈstrævəɡəns /

noun

1. excessive outlay of money; wasteful spending

2. immoderate or absurd speech or behaviour

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• extravagances
  plural

Etymology

Origin of extravagance

1635–45; < French, Middle French; see extravagant, -ance

Explanation

Use the noun extravagance when you're talking about something that's over the top, especially when it comes to spending money. Ordering a $500 hamburger for dinner would be an extravagance. Money is usually the subject when people talk about extravagance, although the word can also mean having too much of something, whether it's anger or flowery wallpaper. In Latin, the root word extravagari means "wander outside or beyond," and originally extravagance was used to describe something that was unusual — "wandering outside" the norm. It wasn't until the 1700s that the word became associated specifically with spending too much money.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

extravagance extravagances

As a result, Prof Voon says, friends or family can regard the change in behaviour as generosity or extravagance - rather than anything pathological - and so it continues.

From BBC ● May 1, 2026

When protests broke out to oust the Shah, she showed up for her community, a tightknit cluster of graduate students who were frustrated by his extravagance and tyranny.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 2026

There was eloquent solo playing in the orchestra, and extravagance from the solo singers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 24, 2026

The coziness comes from structure: meals designed to nourish through cold months, to make use of preserved ingredients, to create warmth without extravagance.

From Salon ● Jan. 24, 2026

Not even his granddaughter’s prodigious talent for extravagance was able to make a dent in his purse.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

Saudi Arabia is focusing on Vision 2030's more pragmatic ventures as extravagances like NEOM, a futuristic city in the desert, and Riyadh's cuboid skyscraper Mukaab, are scaled back or scrapped to save costs.

From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026

"Anytime he would do any renovations to Sussex Drive or repairs, the media would be all over him for extravagances," he said.

From BBC ● Apr. 12, 2023

But then they pay off their debts and the taxes on their winnings, and indulge in a few extravagances.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 7, 2023

Marie Antoinette's own extravagances ran to near-constant renovations of her palace Petit Trianon.

From Salon ● Jun. 4, 2022

Though all his others break, this shall forever hold, regardless of how many gallant extravagances he may put on it.

From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander

Related Words

• absurdity
• exaggeration
• excess
• luxury
• squandering