Shopaholics: meaning, definitions and examples

This term is often used to describe people who have a strong, often uncontrollable, urge to shop and spend money. It is commonly used in informal settings and can sometimes carry a slightly humorous or light-hearted tone.

• Jenny and Alex are such shopaholics; they go shopping every weekend!
• Being a shopaholic, Sarah often finds herself buying things she doesn’t really need.

This phrase is typically used in more serious or clinical discussions to describe someone with a compulsive need to shop, which can be a sign of underlying psychological issues. It is often used in formal contexts such as therapy or counseling.

• As a compulsive shopper, Mike has accumulated massive credit card debt and is seeking help from a therapist.
• The support group helps compulsive shoppers understand and manage their behaviors.

This term is used to describe someone who makes spontaneous, unplanned purchases. It is generally used in everyday conversations and can describe both minor and more significant spending habits.

• Sally is an impulse buyer and often regrets purchasing things she doesn't really need.
• As an impulse buyer, John frequently adds items to his cart while waiting in checkout lines.

This word is often used in a negative context to describe someone who spends money carelessly and recklessly, often leading to wasteful spending. It can be used both formally and informally.

• Calling him a spendthrift, his friends often worry about his financial future.
• Her spendthrift habits have left her with very little savings.