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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Some Places More Than Others
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The List of Things That Will Not Change
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
We see him splurge on face massages and ice baths more than we see him act.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
A family dinner at Applebee’s didn’t feel like a splurge.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
Amid a multi-million pound summer splurge, Spurs allowed Lankshear to leave for an initial fee worth about £10m, with an additional £10m due in add-ons based on various clauses.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
My monthly expenses are roughly $3,900, so I have some room for travel, home repairs and the occasional splurge.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
I had a bit of money that I had saved and decided to splurge on some fresh meat, something I had not had in a long time.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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
Despite the sticker shock, therapists and financial experts say such splurges could be worth it, as long as it’s something you can afford and it holds significant value for you.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 12, 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
No, it wa’n’t either of them festive splurges she had in mind.
From Odd Numbers Being Further Chronicles of Shorty McCabe by Sewell Ford
Texas splurged on high-profile transfers such as receiver Cam Coleman and running back Hollywood Smothers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
That all changed last year when the Bears hired Johnson, a former offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, and splurged to upgrade the offense around Williams.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
Then, in 2017, the pop star splurged on an adjacent townhouse, paying $18 million for the three-story mansion measuring 5,000 square feet.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 7, 2026
The giant wad of cash splurged on all this would choke an elephant.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
She should have splurged on a bit of ribbon.
From "Lyddie" by Katherine Paterson
While PS users’ final destinations are commercial flights, the company is banking on travelers splurging for a few hours away from the masses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
Clearly, many moviegoers seem to think “Spider-Man” and “The Odyssey” are worth splurging on an Imax ticket.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026
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
She did not want to be the only one splurging.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
