squander

1 of 3

verb

squan·​der ˈskwän-dər 

squandered; squandering ˈskwän-d(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to spend extravagantly or foolishly : dissipate, waste

squandered a fortune

2

: to cause to disperse : scatter

3

: to lose (something, such as an advantage or opportunity) through negligence or inaction

intransitive verb

: disperse, scatter

squanderer

ˈskwän-dər-ər 

noun

squander

2 of 3

noun (1)

: an act of squandering

squanderer

3 of 3

noun (2)

squan·​der·​er -dərə(r) 

plural -s

: one that squanders

especially : wastrel

Synonyms of squander

Verb

• spend
• lose
• waste

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

Verb

With that response, Maye was talking about the entire mess of a fourth quarter, in which New England squandered a 10-3 lead. — Steve Buckley, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026

New York squandered an 8-0 lead and led 15-9 before hanging on as Miami scored twice in the eighth and three in the ninth. — ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026

Noun

After seeing his team squander chance after chance, Etowah’s Matthew Sharman wasn’t going to waste any opportunity to score. — Stan Awtrey, AJC.com, 28 May 2026

Trapping individuals in endless cycles of exclusion and financial hardship squanders potential, reduces tax revenue and widens disparities. — Brian Fabes, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

1536, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1709, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for squander

• condor
• fonder
• launder
• mandir
• maunder
• ponder
• wander
• yonder
• responder
• transponder

Kids Definition

squander

verb

squan·​der

ˈskwän-dər

squandered; squandering

-d(ə-)riŋ

: to spend foolishly or wastefully

squandered all her money on video games

squanderer

-dər-ər

noun