as in to spend
to use up carelessly
warned that a childhood spent hanging around indoors was a misspent youth indeed
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Recent Examples of misspend
Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn requested that the state auditor’s office conduct a formal audit of the nearly $560 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds the city received from the federal government, in light of misspending by a city program.
—
Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 13 Dec. 2025
Oz said in his X post that California had misspent $1.3 billion on care for people not eligible for Medicaid, while Illinois spent $30 million, Oregon $5.4 million, Washington state $2.4 million, Washington, D.C., $2.1 million, and Colorado $1.5 million.
—Phil Galewitz, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
There are literally a million better ways to stop food waste than partnering with a family that has been convicted of felonies for misspending nonprofit money.
—Emily Barnes, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
Auditors find $29 million at risk, among other issues
State auditors said the failure to properly monitor the activities of federal grant recipients increased the risk of misspending $29 million, or not spending the funds according to award terms, program requirements, and federal regulations.
—Sarah Lapidus, AZCentral.com, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misspend
Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 13 Dec. 2025
Oz said in his X post that California had misspent $1.3 billion on care for people not eligible for Medicaid, while Illinois spent $30 million, Oregon $5.4 million, Washington state $2.4 million, Washington, D.C., $2.1 million, and Colorado $1.5 million.
—Phil Galewitz, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
There are literally a million better ways to stop food waste than partnering with a family that has been convicted of felonies for misspending nonprofit money.
—Emily Barnes, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
Auditors find $29 million at risk, among other issues
State auditors said the failure to properly monitor the activities of federal grant recipients increased the risk of misspending $29 million, or not spending the funds according to award terms, program requirements, and federal regulations.
—Sarah Lapidus, AZCentral.com, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misspend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misspend
Verb
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Most of Miami’s regular starters spent the first half on the bench and played in the second half.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 Mar. 2026
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Most of it -- more than $67 million -- had been spent by Cornyn's campaign and allied groups, much of it attacking Paxton, but also lately trying to keep Hunt from advancing.—
THOMAS BEAUMONT,
Arkansas Online,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Talarico’s victory marks a preliminary triumph for Democrats who argued that the path to ending the party’s 32-year statewide losing streak runs through coalition-building.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
4 Mar. 2026
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The country has lost two international allies this year through US action.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Misspend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misspend. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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