squander

1 of 2

verb

squan·​der ˈskwän-dər 

squandered; squandering ˈskwän-d(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to spend extravagantly or foolishly : dissipate, waste

squandered a fortune

2

: to cause to disperse : scatter

3

: to lose (something, such as an advantage or opportunity) through negligence or inaction

intransitive verb

: disperse, scatter

squanderer

ˈskwän-dər-ər 

noun

squander

2 of 2

noun

: an act of squandering

Synonyms

Verb

• blow
• dissipate
• fiddle away
• fritter (away)
• lavish
• lose
• misspend
• run through
• spend
• throw away
• trifle (away)
• waste

Examples of squander in a Sentence

Verb

He vowed not to squander this opportunity.

squandered all her money gambling in casinos

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

So as Everett rose to speak, the audience’s anticipation was palpable, a condition Everett managed to squander by speaking for … an hour and 57 minutes. —Eli Amdur, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024

Seattle squandered its chance to win Sunday despite a masterful drive in the fourth quarter that ended with Smith throwing a 4-yard touchdown to tight end AJ Barner on third-and-goal to take a 24-20 lead with 4:21 remaining. —Michael-Shawn Dugar, The Athletic, 23 Dec. 2024

Noun

Veterans Jamison Crowder and Byron Pringle, second-year player Mitchell Tinsley and 2023 practice squanders Brycen Tremayne and Kazmeir Allen are other candidates if the Commanders keep at least six receivers on the Week 1 roster. —Ben Standig, The Athletic, 13 Aug. 2024

This vicious cycle squanders taxpayer dollars and enables politicians to reap gains without actually benefiting constituents. —Ge Bai, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

1536, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1709, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

squander

verb

squan·​der

ˈskwän-dər

squandered; squandering

-d(ə-)riŋ

: to spend foolishly or wastefully

squandered all her money on video games

squanderer

-dər-ər

noun