extravagance

/ɪkˈstrævəɡəns/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪkˈstrævəɡəns/ (ame, ipa) · /ik-ˈstra-vi-gən(t)s/ (ame, mw)

extravagance — noun

  • extravagancesingular
  • extravagancesplural

1. the habit of using up far more money than is sensible or than your situation rea

1.名詞C1
釋義

the habit of using up far more money than is sensible or than your situation really allows.

例句

Romi warned her sister about the extravagance of buying three handbags in one weekend.

extravagance of + V-ing for criticised spending behaviour

After the wedding bills arrived, Feng admitted his extravagance had emptied their savings.

possessive + extravagance for personal spending habit

同義詞
  • wastefulness

    neutral focus on resources wasted; less moralising than extravagance

  • profligacy

    formal; stronger condemnation, often of public or large-scale spending

  • lavishness

    can be positive (generous hosting); extravagance is almost always negative

反義詞
  • thrift

    approving term for careful, economical spending

  • frugality

    approving; deliberate restraint in spending

文法句型

extravagance of/in [activity]

用法筆記

Usually uncountable in this sense and carries clear disapproval; pairs with possessives or qualifiers like 'such' / 'sheer' / 'the' to label the behaviour.

常見錯誤

❌He has a big extravagance for new cars.
✅He has a weakness for new cars, and his extravagance has become a problem.
💡sense 1 is an uncountable habit, not a countable taste.

2. a costly item that someone treats themselves to, even though their budget cannot

2.名詞C1
釋義

a costly item that someone treats themselves to, even though their budget cannot really stretch to it.

例句

Hoa bought a silk scarf in Paris as a small extravagance for her birthday.

a + extravagance as countable noun for one indulgent purchase

The leather armchair was an extravagance, but Kabir had wanted one for years.

predicative: X was an extravagance

同義詞
  • indulgence

    milder; emphasises pleasure rather than the high price

  • splurge

    informal; the act of spending rather than the item itself

  • luxury

    broader; can be a regular pleasure, while an extravagance is more occasional

反義詞
  • necessity

    something you have to buy, the opposite of an indulgent purchase

文法句型

a/an + extravagance

extravagance for [person]

用法筆記

Countable here, unlike sense 1; the speaker often softens the disapproval (calling it 'small', 'little', or 'my one'), framing the purchase as a justified treat.

常見錯誤

❌I bought many extravagance at the mall.
✅I bought several extravagances at the mall.
💡sense 2 is countable and pluralises with -s.