English Reference
adjective

extravagant

adj.
US /ɛkˈstɹævəɡənt/ UK /ɛkstɹˈævəɡənt/ ex·trav·a·gant

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    spending much more money than is needed or than you can afford.

    lacking restraint in spending money or using resources; wasteful or prodigal.

    Simple

    She had an extravagant lifestyle, buying expensive cars and designer clothes every month.

    In context

    The company's extravagant spending on executive travel eventually led to a significant budget deficit that required immediate restructuring.

    wastefulprodigalspendthrift
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    costing a lot of money and being very impressive or fancy.

    exceeding what is reasonable or appropriate in cost, luxury, or scale.

    Simple

    The wedding was an extravagant affair with five hundred guests and a ten-course meal.

    In context

    The lobby was decorated in an extravagant style, featuring gold-leaf ceilings and massive crystal chandeliers that felt somewhat out of place.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced Formal

    going beyond what is reasonable or true; very extreme.

    exceeding the limits of reason, truth, or probability; exaggerated or unrestrained.

    Simple

    The actor made extravagant claims about his importance to the film's success.

    In context

    The politician's extravagant promises during the campaign were met with skepticism by voters who understood the country's fiscal reality.

De Zerbi, who saw a lack of fight, will worry that his side appeared to believe an extravagant transfer window meant they could stroll to victory.

The Guardian· 22 Aug 2026

What little they could find had to be purchased “at the most extravagant prices.” The British government hadn’t assigned military convoys to trans-Atlantic shipments at the start of the conflict.

Smithsonian Magazine· 22 Jun 2026

Inherited from Middle English extravagaunt, from Middle French extravagant and its etymon Medieval Latin extravagans, present participle of extravagor (“to wander beyond”), from Latin extra (“beyond”) + vagor (“to wander, stray”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin extra
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated