conspicuous consumption

noun

Definition of conspicuous consumptionnext
as in splurge

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of conspicuous consumption An online amalgam of conspicuous consumption, natural wonders, and manmade spectacles — like the world’s tallest tower, Abu Dhabi’s Grand Mosque, and even, yes, the vivid green of Dubai Chocolate — has propelled the emirates to superlative measures of tourism and consumer behavior. — Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026 This was not cultural architecture as economic engine, but architectural complexity as conspicuous consumption—a questionable evolution, if also an appropriate one for the most valuable luxury conglomerate in the world. — Julian Rose, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026 Unlike conspicuous consumption, quiet luxury whispers rather than shouts, favoring rarity, meaning, and intentionality. — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 15 Nov. 2025 Even before adolescence, the youth themselves are performing refinement—an early initiation into the aesthetics of conspicuous consumption. — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 9 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for conspicuous consumption
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conspicuous consumption
  1. splurge
  2. wastefulness
  3. lavishness
  4. generosity
  5. extravagance
  6. profusion
Noun
  • This nearly 50-percent-off Kate Spade bag looks like a splurge without actually being one, courtesy of Amazon’s early Labor Day sale.
    — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Separating the must-haves from the nice-to-haves can help parents decide where to hold firm and where a splurge might fit within the family budget.
    — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of splurge
Noun
  • Your hard truth is less likely to change her mind than to start an argument about the wastefulness of taking two cars.
    — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • For all his wastefulness, those games have still brought 54 goals, a one-in-three ratio.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of wastefulness
Noun
  • Bezos and Sánchez Bezos received backlash for the event’s lavishness during global hardships.
    — Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The Vanity Fair of today embodies a certain sort of lavishness—an often unironic appreciation of and yearning for rich people things.
    — Naomi Skwarna, hazlitt.net, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of lavishness
Noun
  • Charities should seize on that and message around the benefit that leaning into generosity has for people’s wallets and their communities—one that opens the door to a teaching moment.
    — Dale Bannon, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Their generosity, humanity and belief in the importance of fashion as art, culture and history – as well as their understanding of human fragility and the possibility of growth – will remain with me always.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of generosity
Noun
  • Plus, this figure is the minimum needed—not counting any extra life extravagances like the annual family holiday, private school, or a bigger home.
    — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The two names below Fernandez, though, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Antony, are perhaps the biggest examples of Premier League transfer extravagance.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of extravagance
Noun
  • After all, the university’s magnetic pull depends on its being embedded in a global metropolis with its profusion of experts, employers, and opportunities.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 19 Aug. 2026
  • In this deep perennial border, Jordin layered tough perennials that deliver a profusion of color in the height of summer, including catmint, ‘Millenium’ allium, ‘Cinderella’ milkweed, and clary sage.
    — Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 July 2026
Definition of profusion

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Cite this Entry

“Conspicuous consumption.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conspicuous%20consumption. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on conspicuous consumption

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about conspicuous consumption

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