sumptuous

sumptuous
adjective
sump·;tu·;ous ;s;m(p)(t)-sh;-w;s  -sh;s, -shw;s
Synonyms of sumptuous
: extremely costly, rich, luxurious, or magnificent
sumptuous banquets
a sumptuous residence
also : magnificent sense 4
sumptuously adverb
sumptuousness noun


Did you know?
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens may be a few of your favorite things, but are they sumptuous? Alas, though the best things in life are often free, sumptuous is a child of the Latin word sumptus, meaning “expense,” and it typically describes things that can only be had at some significant expense. A sumptuous lifestyle, for example, is more likely to involve silver-white bling than a silver-white winter that melts into spring. Sumptus has another English relation, this one tied even more closely to conspicuous consumption: sumptuary laws are largely historical regulations limiting extravagant expenditures and habits, especially on moral or religious grounds. (The sump is consumption is coincidental; that word comes from consume, which has its roots in Latin sumere meaning “to take up, take.”)

Synonyms
Babylonian
deluxe
lavish
Lucullan
Lucullian
luxe
luxuriant
luxurious
luxury
opulent
palace
palatial
plush
plushy
silken
Examples of sumptuous in a Sentence
the cruise ship claims to offer sumptuous furnishings, exquisitely prepared cuisine, and stellar entertainment
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Chris Richards, above, got the only goal, but the power behind it belonged to Sebastian Berhalter’s sumptuous (and very awkward to defend) delivery.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 20 June 2025
This is a show that could have told us a really lush and sumptuous story of that era that actually took up Twain and Warner’s satirical ideas.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2025
But sumptuous seafood is far from the only novelty Wilson has introduced.
—Peter Sblendorio, Hartford Courant, 13 June 2025
Here is what the judges had to say: A fragrant embrace of baked sesame pastry and sweet cream cheese greets the senses, leading to a sumptuous palate of toffee, baked apple, and anise, all wrapped in a silky texture.
—Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025