as in spending
to use up carelessly
warned that a childhood spent hanging around indoors was a misspent youth indeed
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of misspending
Glen Gilzean, who left his Orange County post accused of misspending millions in taxpayer dollars, has been tapped as the new CEO of the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County.
—
Alexa Coultoff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Apr. 2026
Another is the surprising fact that no Florida law specifically prohibits public officials from misspending public funds on political advertising.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Jan. 2026
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
Alexa Coultoff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Apr. 2026
Another is the surprising fact that no Florida law specifically prohibits public officials from misspending public funds on political advertising.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misspending
Verb
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Now, following intense backlash from local communities, a series of lawsuits and a leadership shakeup at the Department of Homeland Security, the agency appears to be abandoning the initiative – a dramatic shift away from a plan that had already seen spending upwards of $1 billion.
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For longtime customer Nita Lynch, who has banked with FirstBank since 1975, the merger has meant spending hours updating routing numbers, retirement accounts and automatic payments.
Verb
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Panama can't make anything of its counter attacks and keeps losing the ball in transition.
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Sweden finished third in Group F, winning its first game by four goals and losing its second by the same margin.
Cite this Entry
“Misspending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misspending. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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