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.

---

conspicuous consumption British  

noun

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

---

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.

---

Etymology

Origin of conspicuous consumption

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

Example Sentences

The conspicuous consumption in “The Queen of Sparkle” section includes her diamond brooch and pendant, and her jewelry chest, made by Martin Carlin in 1770, whose adornment of Sèvres porcelain set a trend.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 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

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

From Salon • Apr. 11, 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