splurge

American  

[splurj] / splɜrdʒ /

verb (used without object)

• splurges,
  present (3rd person singular)
• splurged,
  past participle,  past
• splurging
  present participle

1. 

   to indulge oneself in some luxury or pleasure, especially a costly one.

   They splurged on a trip to Europe.

2. to show off.

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verb (used with object)

• splurges,
  present (3rd person singular)
• splurged,
  past participle,  past
• splurging
  present participle

1. to spend (money) lavishly or ostentatiously.

   He splurged thousands on the party.

noun

• splurges
  plural

1. an ostentatious display, especially an extravagantly expensive one.

   Synonyms:

   spree, indulgence

splurge British  

/ splɜːdʒ /

noun

1. an ostentatious display, esp of wealth

2. a bout of unrestrained extravagance

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verb

1. (often foll by on) to spend (money) unrestrainedly or extravagantly

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• splurgy
  adjective
• splurgily
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• splurges
  plural

Participles

• splurging
  present
• splurged
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• splurge
  simple
• splurges
  simple
• have splurged
  perfect
• has splurged
  perfect
• am splurging
  progressive
• are splurging
  progressive
• is splurging
  progressive
• have been splurging
  perfect progressive
• has been splurging
  perfect progressive

Past

• splurged
  simple
• had splurged
  perfect
• was splurging
  progressive
• were splurging
  progressive
• had been splurging
  perfect progressive

Future

• will splurge
  simple
• will have splurged
  perfect
• will be splurging
  progressive
• will have been splurging
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of splurge

1820–30, perhaps blend of splash and surge

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

splurge splurges splurged splurging

While PUF money can’t be used on athletics, the influx of capital allows Hurley to rethink his own budget and splurge more than he might otherwise on sports.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

Can they finally afford to splurge in their golden years?

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026

Lower starting prices give customers flexibility, letting budget-conscious diners stay under $15 while leaving room to splurge on more premium menu items such as salmon or steak.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 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

“We shouldn’t be bleaching any more palm oil. We should splurge on vegetable oil for these last few weeks,” Obiora said, still swatting at the flies.

From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

When the topic of splurges has come up with other alumni, the most commonly cited item has been an espresso machine, he says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

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

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

So she chucks up as workin’ housekeeper, splurges on the wig, and strikes a swell intelligence office with this phony reference.

From Odd Numbers Being Further Chronicles of Shorty McCabe by Sewell Ford

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 suburban Philadelphia family splurged on tickets to seven matches—five of which all four of the family members will attend.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

He had splurged and gotten his nails done, and they looked fantastic, which I was sure to compliment him on.

From Salon ● Apr. 19, 2026

My grandfather, not knowing he was soon to be fired, had splurged on four tickets to The Minotaur, playing at the Family.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Soon, he was splurging on a chai two to four times a week.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

Americans spent less on goods for the second month in a row after splurging in the spring.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 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

Well-heeled travelers are splurging to avoid hordes and hassles inside the terminal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

The difference is that one will be splurging and then play on a public course while the other will not blink at the price and tee off at a private country club.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

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