as in corruption
immoral conduct or practices harmful or offensive to society
a religious leader who railed against the profligacy of the nation's decadent aristocrats
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of profligacy
And while challenges persist, there are already signs that hidebound profligacy is being replaced by newfound autarky.
—
Charlie Campbell, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
More political turmoil in the world fourth-largest economy could rattle the bond market as investors gauge whether the next leader will lean toward fiscal discipline or more profligacy.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Along with this came a tightening of the rules intended to avoid the profligacy of the previous decades.
—Roger Valdez, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
Growing critics would argue his place is uncertain and his profligacy in front of goal has returned to levels pre-Unai Emery.
—Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for profligacy
Charlie Campbell, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
More political turmoil in the world fourth-largest economy could rattle the bond market as investors gauge whether the next leader will lean toward fiscal discipline or more profligacy.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Along with this came a tightening of the rules intended to avoid the profligacy of the previous decades.
—Roger Valdez, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
Growing critics would argue his place is uncertain and his profligacy in front of goal has returned to levels pre-Unai Emery.
—Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for profligacy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for profligacy
Noun
-
Years of high inflation and financial mismanagement eroded middle-class wealth, while high-level corruption has empowered a handful of businessmen to enrich themselves.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
21 Jan. 2026
-
David Bainbridge was the opening witness in what is expected to be a multi-day preliminary hearing that will decide whether Price, 75, should stand trial in a public corruption case.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
One celebrates the beauty and moral uplift of the Sabbath; the other denounces the immorality of the godless in the fiery manner of a tent-revival preacher.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
22 Dec. 2025
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Advised by Anne Boleyn and Thomas Cromwell, who sincerely believed in the Reformation, Henry started with accusations of corruption and immorality in the Church, then used intimidation and changes to the law to transfer all the wealth and land to himself.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The nation was to be purged of continual sin not indeed all of its own doing—due partly to its inheritance; and yet a sin, a negation that gave the world the right to sneer at the pretensions of this republic.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
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Whatever your preconceived notions about Feldman are, Hume’s film will expand and challenge them; the movie’s greatness lies in its ability to capture all of Feldman’s contradictions and self-destructiveness, empathizing with him without soft-pedaling his sins.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This lawless crew shares dramaturgical DNA with the vice figures from medieval morality plays, personifications of sinfulness who would confide their schemes to the audience and make theatergoers their co-conspirators in a riveting game that obviously left its mark on a young Shakespeare.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
An outmoded concept, evil was baggage from a pre-modern age, the least useful way to interpret bad behavior.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
-
These necessary evils drain your creative energy.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Profligacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profligacy. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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