Definition

Adverb: 1. In a rich, abundant, or luxurious manner: Characterized by great generosity, extravagance, or opulence in the use of resources, decoration, or praise. 2. In a wasteful or extravagant manner: Characterized by spending or using something to excess, without careful consideration.

Usage and Examples

• Meaning 1 (Rich/Luxurious Manner):
  • The palace was lavishly decorated with gold leaf and frescoes.
  • He praised her work lavishly, calling it a masterpiece.
• Meaning 2 (Wasteful Manner):
  • The company spent lavishly on a marketing campaign that failed.
  • In the past, natural resources were often used lavishly, without thought for the future.

Advanced Usage

• "lavishly illustrated": Used to describe a book, magazine, or document containing a large number of high-quality, often expensive, illustrations.
  • The new book on Renaissance art is lavishly illustrated with full-color plates.
• "lavishly funded": Describing a project or organization that receives a very generous or excessive amount of money.
  • The research initiative was lavishly funded by a private foundation.

Variants and Related Words

• Lavish (adjective): Sumptuously rich, elaborate, or luxurious; marked by excess.
  • They threw a lavish party for their anniversary.
• Lavish (verb): To bestow something in generous or extravagant quantities.
  • He lavished attention on his grandchildren.
• Lavishness (noun): The quality of being lavish.
  • The lavishness of the wedding was the talk of the town.

Synonyms

• Extravagantly: In a manner exceeding what is reasonable or appropriate; excessively.
• Opulently: In a rich and luxurious manner.
• Generously: In a liberal or bountiful manner.
• Profusely: In large amounts; abundantly.
• Wastefully: In a manner that uses or expends something carelessly or to no purpose.

Antonyms

• Sparingly: In a restricted or economical manner.
• Frugally: In a way that is economical with resources; thriftily.
• Modestly: In an unassuming manner; without extravagance.
• Meagerly: In a scanty or inadequate amount.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• "To spend lavishly": To expend money in a very free, generous, or excessive way.
  • After winning the lottery, they began to spend lavishly on cars and travel.
• "To be lavished with something": To receive something in great abundance (often used with praise, attention, gifts).
  • The award-winning author was lavished with critical acclaim.

Adverb

1. in a rich and lavish manner
   • lavishly decorated
2. in a wasteful manner
   • the United States, up to the 1920s, used fuel lavishly, mainly because it was so cheap