misspent

American

[mis-spent] / mɪsˈspɛnt /

verb

simple past tense and past participle of misspend.

adjective

spent wrongly or unwisely; wasted.

misspent youth.

Etymology

Origin of misspent

First recorded in 1425–75, for the adjective

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The workers’ coordinated front is going up against a school district facing leadership turmoil and suspicion of misspent funds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

At the time, a county spokesperson declined to comment on whether any money had been misspent, stating only that the decision was made “without stating a specific breach of contract by the other party.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026

She plans out every part of the trip to avoid even one misspent moment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

Dame Meg Hillier, chairwoman of the Commons treasury committee, said "we need to have answers" to ensure taxpayers' money was not being misspent.

From BBC • Oct. 21, 2025

“This can’t be the first time an unauthorized person misspent money.”

From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023