extravagant
gb/ɛkstɹˈævəɡənt/ us/ɛkstɹˈævəɡənt/
B2
English
~ 5700
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
spending too much money
Using or spending a lot more money than you really need to; liking very expensive things.
Usage pattern:
an extravagant [purchase/lifestyle/wedding]; be extravagant with [money]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'extravagant' with 'expensive'. 'Expensive' only means that something costs a lot of money. 'Extravagant' suggests that the high cost is more than necessary or sensible, often with a critical tone.
Synonyms
lavish (Emphasizes great expense and richness; can sound slightly more positive or admiring than 'extravagant'.)
|
wasteful (Focuses on throwing away money or resources with no good reason; usually more negative than 'extravagant'.)
Antonyms
frugal (Describes someone who is very careful with money and avoids unnecessary spending, the opposite of extravagant habits.)
|
economical (Stresses using as little money as possible without waste, contrasting with extravagant spending.)
Collocations
extravagant lifestyle
|extravagant spending
|extravagant wedding
|extravagant tastes
|wildly extravagant
|extravagant luxury
Themes
money
|lifestyle
|business
|finance
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- They live an extravagant lifestyle, flying first class and staying in five-star hotels.
- The wedding was beautiful but far too extravagant for a couple with so much debt.
- He has extravagant tastes and insists on designer clothes and fine dining.
- Critics say the government’s extravagant spending will increase the national debt.
- I’m trying not to be extravagant with money now that I’m saving for a house.
Learner examples
- She bought an extravagant dress that cost a lot of money.
- They had an extravagant party with many expensive foods and drinks.
- He is extravagant with his money and never saves anything.
- The hotel was too extravagant for our small budget.
- I don’t want an extravagant meal, just something simple.
adjective
C1
property
2
too much; excessive or extreme
Too strong or too much in amount or level, so that it does not seem reasonable or believable.
Usage pattern:
extravagant [claim/promise/praise/expectations]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'very' instead of words like 'extravagant'. For example, 'very big promises' is grammatically correct but less natural than 'extravagant promises' when you want to say the promises are too big or unrealistic.
Synonyms
excessive (Neutral, common word meaning more than is reasonable; less emotional than 'extravagant'.)
|
overblown (Informal; emphasizes that something is made to seem bigger or more important than it really is.)
Antonyms
moderate (Describes something that is within reasonable limits, not too strong or too weak.)
|
restrained (Emphasizes holding back feelings or statements so they do not go too far.)
Collocations
extravagant claim
|extravagant promise
|extravagant praise
|extravagant expectations
|extravagant demands
|extravagant use of [something]
Themes
communication
|opinions
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The company’s extravagant claims about the product’s benefits turned out to be misleading.
- She received extravagant praise for a performance that was good but not perfect.
- He made extravagant promises during the campaign that he could never keep.
- The court rejected the plaintiff’s extravagant demand for compensation.
- Some critics say the film’s success has led to extravagant expectations for the sequel.
Learner examples
- The advertisement makes extravagant claims about the cream.
- His parents give him extravagant praise for every small success.
- The manager made extravagant promises to the new team.
- Her hopes for a big pay rise were a little extravagant.
- They have extravagant expectations about how fast the project will finish.
adjective
B2
property
3
very elaborate or luxurious
Looking very rich or fancy, with a lot of decoration or detail.
Usage pattern:
an extravagant [design/costume/feast/display]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'extravagant' always means negative. In this sense, it can be positive or neutral, especially when describing art, fashion, or parties that are meant to look impressive.
Synonyms
ornate (Focuses on heavy decoration and detail, especially in design and architecture.)
|
opulent (Suggests great wealth and luxury, often grand and impressive.)
Antonyms
simple (Lacking extra decoration or detail, plain in style.)
|
understated (Deliberately simple and not showy, the opposite of a loud or extravagant style.)
Collocations
extravagant costume
|extravagant design
|extravagant feast
|extravagant performance
|extravagant display
|extravagant decoration
Themes
art
|lifestyle
|culture
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The ballroom was decorated with extravagant chandeliers and gold mirrors.
- She wore an extravagant costume covered in feathers and sequins.
- They prepared an extravagant feast with seven different courses.
- The musical is known for its extravagant sets and lighting.
- He has a taste for extravagant interior design, with bold colors and large sculptures.
Learner examples
- They had an extravagant dinner with many special dishes.
- The singer arrived in an extravagant dress.
- The hotel lobby looked very extravagant and rich.
- The party decorations were extravagant and colorful.
- The show had extravagant lights and costumes.
Grammar
Dictionary form
extravagant
IPA
GB/ɛkstɹˈævəɡənt/
US/ɛkstɹˈævəɡənt/
Syllables & stress
ex - tra - vag - ant (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tra)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: extravagant
Word family
Core family
extravagance
noun B2
extravagantly
adverb
Related words
extravaganza
noun
Expressions
an extravagant lifestyle
1/ən ɛkstɹˈævəɡənt lˈaɪfstˌaɪl/
fixed phrase
very expensive way of living
Living in a way that spends a lot of money on luxury things that are not really needed.
Examples
- After his promotion, he started to enjoy an extravagant lifestyle.
- An extravagant lifestyle can be hard to maintain if you lose your job.
be extravagant with
1/bˈi ɛkstɹˈævəɡənt wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
use too much of something
To use a lot of something, more than you really need to.
Examples
- Don’t be extravagant with the olive oil; it’s very expensive.
- She tends to be extravagant with her words of praise.
extravagant claims
1/ɛkstɹˈævəɡənt klˈeɪmz/
fixed phrase
unrealistic or exaggerated statements
Statements that say something is very great or very good in a way that is hard to believe.
Examples
- The advertisement makes extravagant claims about how quickly you will lose weight.
- Scientists criticized the report for its extravagant claims about new technology.
extravagant praise
1/ɛkstɹˈævəɡənt pɹˈeɪz/
fixed phrase
praise that is too strong
Very strong praise that may be more than the person or thing really deserves.
Examples
- The book received extravagant praise from several major newspapers.
- Her boss’s extravagant praise made her feel a little embarrassed.
extravagant promises
1/ɛkstɹˈævəɡənt pɹˈɑməsɪz/
fixed phrase
unrealistic or excessive promises
Promises that are too big or too good, and probably cannot be kept.
Examples
- Politicians often make extravagant promises before an election.
- He won support with extravagant promises of tax cuts and higher wages.
extravagant spending
1/ɛkstɹˈævəɡənt spˈɛndɪŋ/
fixed phrase
spending far too much money
Using a lot of money in a way that is not careful and often not sensible.
Examples
- The company had to cut costs after years of extravagant spending.
- Her extravagant spending on clothes left her with large credit card bills.
wildly extravagant
1/wˈaɪldli ɛkstɹˈævəɡənt/
fixed phrase
extremely extravagant
Very, very extravagant; much more than is normal or reasonable.
Examples
- The party was wildly extravagant, with fireworks and live bands.
- Buying a sports car right now would be wildly extravagant for us.