squander
[ skwon-der ]
/ ˈskwɒn dər /
verb (used with object)
to spend or use (money, time, etc.) extravagantly or wastefully (often followed by away).
to scatter.
noun
extravagant or wasteful expenditure.
Nearby words
Origin of squander
First recorded in 1585–95; origin uncertain
SYNONYMS FOR squander
Related formssquan·der·er, nounsquan·der·ing·ly, adverbre·squan·der, verb (used with object)un·squan·dered, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for squander
British Dictionary definitions for squander
squander
/ (ˈskwɒndə) /
verb (tr)
to spend wastefully or extravagantly; dissipate
an obsolete word for scatter
noun
rare extravagance or dissipation
Derived Formssquanderer, noun
Word Origin for squander
C16: of unknown origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for squander
squander
1580s (implied in squandering), "to spend recklessly or prodigiously," of unknown origin; Shakespeare used it 1593 in "Merchant of Venice" with a sense of "to be scattered over a wide area." Squander-bug, a British symbol of reckless extravagance and waste during war-time shortages, represented as a devilish insect, was introduced January 1943 by the National Savings Committee. In U.S., Louis Ludlow coined squanderlust (1935) for the tendency of government bureaucracies to spend much money.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper