squan·der
ˈskwän-dər 
squandered; squandering
ˈskwän-d(ə-)riŋ
2
: to cause to disperse : scatter
3
: to lose (something, such as an advantage or opportunity) through negligence or inaction
: an act of squandering
Synonyms
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
Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 4 June 2024
Last season the 9-3 Dolphins had a fourth-quarter 28-27 meltdown that cost the team a win against the Tennessee Titans, squandering Miami’s chances of locking up the AFC East division early.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 29 May 2024
Richard Fontaine, Foreign Affairs, 8 Feb. 2021
These were strong words, backed by statistics and set against the backdrop of a feeble first swipe at long COVID by the National Institutes of Health that has been widely viewed as a disastrous squander of time and money.
—Carolyn Barber, Fortune, 24 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for squander 
Verb
Rajan argues that India is squandering the gleaming opportunity of its demographic dividend.
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 4 June 2024
Last season the 9-3 Dolphins had a fourth-quarter 28-27 meltdown that cost the team a win against the Tennessee Titans, squandering Miami’s chances of locking up the AFC East division early.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 29 May 2024
Noun
Whatever the credit that comes from deploying diplomatic capital against impossible causes, that approach also generates unrealistic expectations, squanders valuable time and energy, risks eventual disengagement, and crowds out efforts to make more modest progress.
—Richard Fontaine, Foreign Affairs, 8 Feb. 2021
These were strong words, backed by statistics and set against the backdrop of a feeble first swipe at long COVID by the National Institutes of Health that has been widely viewed as a disastrous squander of time and money.
—Carolyn Barber, Fortune, 24 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for squander
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'squander.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Squander.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/squander. Accessed 12 Jun. 2024.
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