conspicuous consumption

noun

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

conspicuous consumption

noun

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

conspicuous consumption

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of conspicuous consumption¹

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

Example Sentences

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

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Karen’s relationship with her husband Stan is supported by booze and conspicuous consumption; he is absent to the degree that we never entirely see him onscreen.

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But it has plenty to pitch concerning the joys and burdens of conspicuous consumption.

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Wine, once the height of boomer culture and conspicuous consumption, has lost its cool among young, more frugal and health-conscious potential customers, many of whom prefer cannabis over Cabernet, experts say.

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This is the only way I can explain why I perused each celebrity’s current advice columns for conspicuous consumption and, much to my shock, found some items that in 2023 seem . . . reasonably priced, comparatively speaking.

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