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to squander

to squander

67 6.5
To use money, time, or chances in a foolish way
  • verb
  • /ˈskwɒndər/
translation icon : malgastar
  • It's easy to squander time on social media when you have deadlines to meet.
  • squander opportunities
  • squander money
  • squander time

Because they squander their money recklessly.

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Examples

  • Public frustration with Washington is fueled by a sense that it has squandered opportunities to improve matters.

    Academic text (2003)
  • The boys' favorite was the candy shop, where they squandered much of their summer's earnings.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • But after eight years, the hard work of the British people is paying off and we will not squander their efforts.

  • No field, no country, no society can afford to squander the talents of half of its population.

  • Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of.

  • Because they squander their money recklessly.

  • No one gains when the bishops choose to squander their moral authority.

    Academic text (1993)
  • I see greatness in you, and it's being squandered here.

  • Trust and integrity are precious resources, easily squandered, hard to regain.

  • You have smarts, so don't squander it all chasing the mundane allures of money and comfort.

Synonyms

to waste
vsto squander
1.0

To use or spend something carelessly and without good reason

shows a stronger sense of recklessness and foolishness in use
to waste time
vsto squander
728 1.6

To spend time doing things that are not useful instead of doing something more useful

is used for reckless foolish loss of many resources, not only time
to blow
vsto squander
  • Informal
265 5.3

To waste a lot of money on things you do not need

tends to stress reckless or foolish behavior rather than casual spending
to run through
vsto squander
16 4.4

Use up money or supplies quickly and wastefully

focuses on reckless wasting, not only rapid consumption of items
to piss away
vsto squander
  • Offensive
8 9.5

To waste time or money by being careless

is the neutral, standard verb for reckless or foolish use
to blow a chance
vsto squander
  • Informal
8 4.9

Miss a good opportunity by making a mistake

is broader, applying to reckless loss of resources beyond missed chances
to fritter away
vsto squander
4 6.0

Waste time or money on small unimportant things

describes a single reckless or large waste instead of gradual loss
to throw money away
vsto squander
4 3.5

Spend money on things you do not need

is broader, applying to reckless loss of more than just money
to fritter
vsto squander
4 6.8

To waste small amounts of time, money, or energy little by little

implies larger, reckless loss rather than slow, trivial losses
to dissipate
vsto squander
3 7.0

To use money or energy in a foolish, wasteful way

covers careless losing of many resource types, not only energy or money
to misspend
vsto squander
1 6.5

To spend time or money in a wasteful way

implies more reckless or careless loss rather than just poor spending
to blow savings
vsto squander
  • Informal
1 6.9

To spend saved money quickly on things you do not need

applies to careless use of many resource types, not only savings
to make ducks and drakes
vsto squander
  • Archaic
9.9

To waste money or other things by being careless

is the general single verb for that same reckless action
to fool away
vsto squander
8.1

To waste time, money, or chances by being careless

puts more weight on reckless, often greater, irresponsible loss
to pissing money up the wall
vsto squander
  • Offensive
9.9

To spend money carelessly and waste it

covers reckless wasting of many resources, not only pointless money spending
to pour down the drain
vsto squander
  • Informal
6.0

Lose money, time, or effort by wasting it so it cannot be used

stress is on reckless foolish use rather than on irretrievable loss
to trifle away
vsto squander
8.2

To waste time, money, or chances on things that do not matter

carries stronger sense of foolish wasted value, not just small unimportance
to waste one's time
vsto squander
3.3

To spend time on things that are not useful

applies to reckless wasting of resources broadly rather than mere idleness

Antonyms

1.0

Keep something for use later

to utilize
  • Formal
224 4.9

To use something for a particular purpose

63 3.4

Protect something from harm or waste by using it carefully

How Wasteful

to dissipate
3 7.0
to squander
67 6.5
to waste
1.0
to misuse
60 3.9

Surface Forms

squander infinitive
squandered past
squandered past participle
squandering present participle
squanders third person singular

Etymology

The word squander probably comes from an old northern European verb that meant 'to scatter' or 'to throw away'. Think of scatter as tossing coins like seeds: when you squander money or time you spread it away and lose it, so the word means to waste something by using it carelessly.