English Reference
noun

spree

n.
US /ˈspɹi/ UK /spɹˈiː/ spree UK spelling spree's, spree's, spreed, spreeing

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    a short time when you do a lot of one activity, usually spending money or eating, without stopping.

    a period of unrestrained activity or indulgence, often used in compounds like 'shopping spree' or 'spending spree'.

    Simple

    After getting her first paycheck, she went on a shopping spree at the mall.

    In context

    The company embarked on a massive hiring spree to ensure they had enough staff for the upcoming product launch.

  2. 02 C2 Proficiency ArchaicLiterary

    an old-fashioned word for a lively party or a time spent drinking with friends.

    a lively frolic or a drinking bout; this sense is largely restricted to older literature or specific regional dialects.

    Simple

    The sailors went on a spree as soon as their ship reached the port.

    In context

    In the nineteenth-century novel, the protagonist's downfall begins with a wild spree in the city's taverns.

    revelrycarouse

Police say 15 vehicles were stolen in the crime spree.

Toronto Sun· 10 Sept 2026

Which was what made the spending spree of last summer so surprising: it wasn’t so much who came in as who didn’t.

The Guardian· 24 Aug 2026

Borrowed from German Spree.

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

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated