# put on the ritz

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/put-on-the-ritz
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

to make a show of luxury and extravagance

## Examples

- They really put on the ritz for the party.
- You really put on the ritz when you wear that tuxedo.
- She decided to put on the ritz for her anniversary dinner by booking the most expensive restaurant in town.
- The hotel staff always put on the ritz when a member of the royal family comes to stay for the weekend.
- Even though they do not have much money, they like to put on the ritz by serving expensive champagne at their New Year's Eve party.
- The hosts spared no expense to put on the ritz, adorning the ballroom with gold leaf and fresh orchids for their high-society guests.

## Origin

The idiom evokes the practice of dressing in a manner appropriate for the Ritz Hotel in London, which opened its doors in 1906. While the hotel’s reputation for luxury was immediate, the phrase itself did not appear in print until 1921. It remains a linguistic vestige of a period when one's social standing was measured by the cost of one's tailoring and the geographical location of one's dinner.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.