# lush

/ˈɫəʃ/ (US) · /lˈʌʃ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/lush
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. thick and green

adjective · CEFR B2

growing thickly and healthily, especially plants or grass.

For teachers: characterised by abundant, healthy, and luxuriant growth, typically in reference to vegetation.

- The valley was filled with lush green grass after the spring rains.
- The explorers struggled to navigate through the lush tropical rainforest, where the canopy was so dense it blocked out the midday sun.

### 2. rich and expensive

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

very comfortable, expensive, and high quality.

For teachers: appealing to the senses through richness, luxury, or opulence.

- The hotel room was decorated with lush velvet curtains and soft carpets.
- The film's lush cinematography and intricate costume design earned it several awards during the festival season.

### 3. attractive or great

adjective · CEFR B2 · British English · Informal · Slang

very attractive, beautiful, or excellent.

For teachers: used as a general term of approval for something or someone aesthetically pleasing or high in quality.

- You look absolutely lush in that new dress.
- We had a lush time at the festival last weekend, despite the occasional rain shower.

### 4. a heavy drinker

noun · CEFR C2 · Informal · Slang

a person who drinks too much alcohol very often.

For teachers: a person who habitually consumes alcohol to excess.

- He has been a bit of a lush since he lost his job last year.
- The character was portrayed as a harmless neighborhood lush, though the underlying themes of the play were much darker.

Usage: Usually carries a negative or mocking tone.

## Examples

- The rain made the garden look very lush.
- After the heavy spring rains, the valley floor became lush and green.
- The tropical rainforest is a lush ecosystem where plants compete fiercely for sunlight in the dense canopy.

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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.