squander
squander
Definition
squan·der (skwän′dər)
transitive verb
to spend or use wastefully or extravagantly
Etymology: prob. a specialized use of dial. squander, to scatter, popularized after Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, I, iii, 22
intransitive verb
to be wasteful or extravagant
noun
Rare a squandering; extravagant expenditure
squander
Synonyms
squander
Usage Examples
Object
- billion: But here we go again preparing to squander billions on weapons that we will never use.
- chance: The visitors, who squandered several chances early on, had gone ahead on 32 minutes through Carlton Miller's well taken strike.
- possession: Our forward were performing well in the set pieces and often when the home team got good ball they squandered possession with sloppy handling.
- legacy: I think we seem to squander the legacy we have been given, often through complete apathy.
- million: Dallas the TV series was synonymous with dodgy millions squandered by dodgy people.
- wealth: When the choice before us is life or death, we so often squander wealth on the waste of war.
Preposition: on
- generation: Would not it be an absolute outrage if billions were squandered on a new generation of nuclear weapons without a vote in the House?
- scheme: The new millions raised would no doubt be squandered on politically more fashionable schemes.
Adjective complement
- more: However, it often is - they squandered more than 30 chances against Northern Ireland in a goalless qualifying match.
Modifying Another Word
- much: Over the past year, Berlin has squandered much of the political capital it has built up in eastern Europe over the past decade.
- often: Any quality series the terrestrial stations do get is often squandered.
- then: The country ticks on overseas aid, which is taken grudgingly and then squandered.
- just: Barry, you may have just squandered all of the good will we had going on.
- not: We need such places for nature to work its wonders, not squandered for a catering area for more car users.
- n't: He had n't squandered it, he'd just not done anything useful with it.
Used with why or when
- what: He has squandered what was supposed to be the finest chance England have ever had of lifting the golden prize again.
- when: Meditation focuses on a type of thanksgiving for what has been acquired and not to squander when things are plentiful.
Preposition: of
Browse dictionary entries near squander
- squamulose
- squamous
- squamosal
- squamo-
- squamation
- squamate
- squama
- squalor
- squally
- squall
- square
- square bracket
- square dance
- square deal
- square knot
- square measure
- square off
- square one
- square-rigged
- square-rigger
