Select the nearest antonym of the word “lavish”:

Correct answer: Frugal. Lavish means spending or giving freely, and “frugal” (careful with money) is the opposite.

Background: Lavish can also mean luxurious, as in a lavish party.

• Generous: “Generous” is similar in meaning to lavish.
• Grand: “Grand” is similar in meaning to lavish.
• Excessive: “Excessive” is similar in meaning to lavish.

Did you know? Frugal comes from the Latin frux, meaning “fruit” or “value”.

Memory trick: Lavish ↔ frugal.