A spree is a short period of doing something in an energetic, unrestrained way, often more than you normally would. When someone goes on a shopping spree, they buy many things in one trip instead of carefully picking just one or two items. A scoring spree in basketball means a player makes several baskets quickly, one after another.

The word usually suggests excitement and a bit of wildness. You might hear about a crime spree when someone commits several crimes in quick succession, or a spending spree when a person buys much more than usual. Kids sometimes go on eating sprees at birthday parties, piling their plates with pizza, cake, and candy.

While sprees feel fun and exciting in the moment, they often have consequences. A spending spree might empty your savings account. An eating spree might leave you with a stomachache. That's why the word carries a hint of excess: a spree means doing something beyond normal limits, throwing caution aside for a burst of activity. It's the difference between buying one souvenir and buying seven, or scoring two points versus scoring twelve points in five minutes.