spend lavishly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "spend lavishly" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe someone who spends a lot of money on items that are not necessary. For example, "Despite not having a lot of money, he continued to spend lavishly on luxury items."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It is possible to spend lavishly.

The New York Times - Food

The Yankees and the Boston Red Sox spend lavishly.

The New York Times - Sports

Cable channels like MSNBC spend lavishly on parties.

The New York Times

Tech firms regularly spend lavishly on startups in order to "acqui-hire" their employees.

The Economist

It supplies parts to rivals (Swiss and foreign) which then spend lavishly on advertising.

The Economist

The N.C.A.A. tournament is a lucrative business, and many schools spend lavishly to get there.

The New Yorker

But while she did not bargain shop, she did not spend lavishly either.

The New York Times

Junker and other top executives used bowl money to spend lavishly, investigators found.

The New York Times - Sports

But maybe they were right not to spend lavishly on the lower tier of free agents.

The New York Times

Cheap money has encouraged households, especially American ones, to borrow and spend lavishly.

The Economist

Even though they had enough money to live a comfortable lifestyle, they did not spend lavishly.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "spend lavishly" to emphasize the degree and excessiveness of spending, particularly when describing discretionary purchases or investments.

Common error

While "spend lavishly" is a vivid phrase, avoid using it excessively in a single piece of writing. Vary your language by using synonyms like "spend freely" or "spend extravagantly" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "spend lavishly" functions as a verb-adverb combination, where "spend" is the verb indicating the action of disbursing money, and "lavishly" is the adverb modifying the verb to indicate the manner in which the spending occurs. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

79%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "spend lavishly" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression that describes a manner of spending characterized by abundance and extravagance. As Ludwig AI points out, it's considered correct and usable in written English. With 69 real-world examples, it's clear that "spend lavishly" is a common way to depict generous or excessive expenditure. The phrase appears most often in the "News & Media", reflecting its use in reporting on financial matters, economic trends, and lifestyle topics. While "spend lavishly" effectively conveys the idea of unrestrained spending, remember to consider related phrases like "spend freely" or "spare no expense" to enrich your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

spend extravagantly

Highlights the excessive and often unnecessary nature of the spending.

spare no expense

Highlights a willingness to spend whatever it takes to achieve a desired outcome.

spend freely

Implies spending without restraint or concern for budgeting.

spend without restraint

Emphasizes the lack of control or limits in the spending habits.

splurge

Suggests a sudden and indulgent act of spending, often on something desired.

be a big spender

Describes someone who habitually spends large amounts of money.

loosen the purse strings

Implies a willingness to spend more freely than before.

shower with money

Implies spending a lot of money on someone or something.

run up a large bill

Focuses on the accumulation of debt through excessive spending.

live like a king

Implies a lifestyle of luxury and indulgence, involving significant spending.

FAQs

How can I use "spend lavishly" in a sentence?

You can use "spend lavishly" to describe someone or something that spends a lot of money, often in a wasteful or extravagant manner. For example, "The company decided to "spend lavishly" on its marketing campaign."

What are some alternatives to "spend lavishly"?

Some alternatives include "spend freely", "spend extravagantly", "splurge", or "spare no expense", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "spent lavishly" instead of "spend lavishly"?

Yes, "spent lavishly" is the past tense form of "spend lavishly". For example, "They "spent lavishly" on their vacation last year."

What is the difference between "spend lavishly" and "invest wisely"?

"Spend lavishly" implies spending a lot of money, often without much regard for value or necessity. "Invest wisely", on the other hand, suggests carefully allocating resources to generate future returns or benefits.