extravagance

noun

ex·​trav·​a·​gance ik-ˈstra-vi-gən(t)s 

1

a

: an instance of excess or prodigality

specifically : an excessive outlay of money

b

: something extravagant

a new car is an extravagance we can't afford

2

: the quality or fact of being extravagant

the extravagance of the decorations

Synonyms

• extravagancy
• lavishness
• prodigality
• profusion
• wastefulness

Examples of extravagance in a Sentence

The reorganization of the department was aimed at reducing extravagance.

That coat is an extravagance that you can't afford.

Going to the play will be our one extravagance for this vacation.

I was shocked by the extravagance of their lifestyle.

The church is known for the extravagance of its architecture.

Recent Examples on the Web

The staging remains perched on the edge of extravagance, only flirting with splendor. —A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2024

In a lawsuit pending in Los Angeles Superior Court, Shangri-La has accused its former CFO, Cody Holmes, of embezzling housing money and spending it on personal extravagances, including tickets to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, jewelry and rent for a Beverly Hills mansion. —Anna Scott, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2024

That kind of extravagance plays better with some kinds of rich people than others. —Ben Ryder Howe, Curbed, 7 Aug. 2024

The days of royal extravagance—like those of Edward VII, whose favorite snack took eight hours to prepare—are long gone. —Simon Perry, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1640, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

extravagance

noun

ex·​trav·​a·​gance ik-ˈstrav-i-gən(t)s 

1

a

: the wasteful or careless spending of money

b

: something that is extravagant

2

: the quality or fact of being extravagant