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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

v.

spend, spend lavishly, throw away, fritter away; see waste 2.

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

  • resource: To fail to do so will simply result in a squandering of resources.
  • money: A squandering of public money that maybe the District Auditor should look into.
  • goodwill: Squandering of goodwill is apparent from tutors ' comments and in the main this is due to poor communication and management.