conspicuous consumption

noun

: lavish or wasteful spending thought to enhance social prestige

Examples of conspicuous consumption in a Sentence

a culture of conspicuous consumption
Recent Examples on the Web Instead, the discourse fixates on what amounts to a form of conspicuous consumption. Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2024 They are increasingly attracted to authenticity—real books, vinyl records, denim—and seem to have a disdain for conspicuous consumption. Greg Petro, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024 Dandified servants, then known as ‘luxury slaves,’ were used as figures of conspicuous consumption. Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 9 Oct. 2024 Nevertheless, the conspicuous consumption of members of the elite and their way of life make the corruption evident to observers. Branko Milanovic, Foreign Affairs, 11 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for conspicuous consumption 

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

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of conspicuous consumption was in 1899

Dictionary Entries Near conspicuous consumption

Cite this Entry

“Conspicuous consumption.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conspicuous%20consumption. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on conspicuous consumption

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!