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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word lavish distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of lavish are exuberant, lush, luxuriant, prodigal, and profuse. While all these words mean "giving or given out in great abundance," lavish suggests an unstinted or unmeasured profusion.

a lavish party

When might exuberant be a better fit than lavish?

The words exuberant and lavish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, exuberant implies marked vitality or vigor in what produces abundantly.

an exuberant imagination

In what contexts can lush take the place of lavish?

In some situations, the words lush and lavish are roughly equivalent. However, lush suggests rich, soft luxuriance.

a lush green lawn

When is it sensible to use luxuriant instead of lavish?

Although the words luxuriant and lavish have much in common, luxuriant suggests a rich and splendid abundance.

a luxuriant beard

When is prodigal a more appropriate choice than lavish?

The synonyms prodigal and lavish are sometimes interchangeable, but prodigal implies reckless or wasteful lavishness threatening to lead to early exhaustion of resources.

prodigal spending

When would profuse be a good substitute for lavish?

The meanings of profuse and lavish largely overlap; however, profuse implies pouring forth without restraint.

profuse apologies

Examples of lavish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Journey on its Rhine Highlights cruise starting in the Swiss city of Basel, before sailing towards Amsterdam, Strasbourg and the natural springs of Baden-Baden with a private classical concert at the lavish Baroque Palace of Rastatt. Lewis Nunn, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2024 In exchange for her actions, prosecutors say Sun and her husband enriched themselves and received lavish gifts, as well as successfully promoting their relatives’ businesses both in the US and China in addition to securing employment for their relatives within the Chinese government. Gloria Pazmino, CNN, 8 Sep. 2024
Verb
Trump lavished praise on Vance’s educational background and business experience in technology and finance. Frances Vinall, Washington Post, 16 July 2024 The potential for unpredictable events in a time of great political volatility should dissuade the media from lavishing so much time and energy on reading tea leaves. Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post, 26 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for lavish 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lavish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near lavish

Cite this Entry

“Lavish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lavish. Accessed 29 Sep. 2024.

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