squander

1 of 2

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 2

noun

: an act of squandering

Synonyms

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

Buehler allowed four runs over a listless four-inning performance, and the offense squandered several key scoring chances late. —Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2025

Whether lawmakers, regulators and industry leaders seize this moment or squander it could help determine whether the U.S. healthcare system sinks further or finally begins to heal. —Paulina Wierzbicka, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025

Noun

The agency’s disclosure double-standard undermines the rule of law and squanders taxpayer dollars. —Ross Marchand, Baltimore Sun, 23 June 2025

This deceptive practice not only squanders job seekers' time and energy, but may also negatively impact their confidence and mental well-being. —Jack Kelly, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

1536, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

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