splurge
Americanverb (used without object)
-
splurges,
present (3rd person singular)
-
splurged,
past participle, past
-
splurging
present participle
-
to indulge oneself in some luxury or pleasure, especially a costly one.
They splurged on a trip to Europe.
-
to show off.
verb (used with object)
-
splurges,
present (3rd person singular)
-
splurged,
past participle, past
-
splurging
present participle
noun
-
splurges
plural
noun
-
an ostentatious display, esp of wealth
-
a bout of unrestrained extravagance
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
splurgesimple
-
splurgessimple
-
have splurgedperfect
-
has splurgedperfect
-
am splurgingprogressive
-
are splurgingprogressive
-
is splurgingprogressive
-
have been splurgingperfect progressive
-
has been splurgingperfect progressive
Past
-
splurgedsimple
-
had splurgedperfect
-
was splurgingprogressive
-
were splurgingprogressive
-
had been splurgingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of splurge
Explanation
To splurge is to indulge yourself. You can also go on a splurge if you spend a lot or act extravagantly in another way. Anyone might have a cupcake. If you have 10 cupcakes, that's a splurge. When you go on a splurge or are splurging, it usually applies to money. Splurging happens when you see a lot of things you want — or even one very expensive thing — and buy it, even though you might not be able to afford it. When you splurge, you're going wild in some way. A splurge is sometimes called a binge.
Vocabulary lists containing splurge
With the Fire on High
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Some Places More Than Others
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The List of Things That Will Not Change
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The Times reports that the government will conduct a "borrowing splurge in bid to boost economy".
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
The all-out splurge is running into higher costs, borrowing constraints and investor pushback.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
After an initial splurge on travel and entertainment, retirees are often lulled into a sense of complacency because their spending tends to decrease during the first decade after leaving the workforce.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026
We asked experts to share their ideas for less-crowded, but equally charming, destinations, as well as tips on how to splurge more wisely.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
Can’t she buy a dress or splurge $2.50 to get her hair dyed?
From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario
A lack of updating, rising mall rents and splurges on new businesses weakened its business until it declared bankruptcy in 2014.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
As inflation grew, many consumers also pulled back on buying discretionary items, the throw pillows, clothing and other splurges Target is known for.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 3, 2026
Marcel Thieliant at Capital Economics added that he did not expect Takaichi to embark on any new major spending splurges or tax cuts.
From Barron's ● Feb. 9, 2026
A relative who hosts huge dinners for her extended family splurges the next day: hiring a housekeeper to come and going out to get a mani-pedi, 10-minute back and neck massage.
From Salon ● Nov. 26, 2025
"I've told you I am a detective, and I don't do my business by splurges."
From Two Wonderful Detectives Jack and Gil's Marvelous Skill by Harlan Page Halsey
Knocking on for £40m - maybe more - has been splurged on transfer and loan fees.
From BBC ● Mar. 8, 2026
The Dodgers also splurged in December by signing former New York Mets pitcher Edwin Diaz to a $69 million three-year deal, making him the highest paid closer in baseball.
From Barron's ● Jan. 23, 2026
Once, in her early 20s when she had little money to her name, she splurged several thousands of dollars just to attend one of his events.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 15, 2026
Stomach gnawing and hands slightly shaky, I loaded up on ephemera for fancy paninis, held together with swipes of giardiniera mayo, and splurged on some pastel-hued botanical sodas for drinking straight from the can.
From Salon ● Jan. 1, 2026
She’d splurged and felt really good about it.
From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell
In Scottish terms, Rangers' American owners have spent colossal money, splurging tens of millions on the creation of a team, and an environment, that can win a league and do something in Europe.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
It’s also unclear why she chose a five-star resort for the splurging, given her discomfort with everything from the menu on down.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
Average Chinese aren’t splurging much these days with the economy in the doldrums.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
Sure, some attendees may be splurging thousands on a single ticket, but others are getting nothing at all, even after traveling across international borders for games.
From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2026
She did not want to be the only one splurging.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
