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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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
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Conditions were only made worse by recent military defeats, crippling sanctions, corruption, and an unparalleled water crisis.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
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The improvement at Eskom, which provides 80% of the country’s power generation, comes after years of mismanagement, corruption scandals, and bailouts for ongoing debt problems.—
Preeti Jha,
semafor.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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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These are the words of someone determined not to repeat their father’s sins, someone who wants to be a little different than what a lot of the world might expect of a player with his unique brand of raw power and athleticism.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
13 Jan. 2026
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Except, apparently, among the Hoosiers who play football as if not playing football hard would be an unforgivable sin.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Acedeck Sound Machine Alarm Clock Alarm clocks are a necessary evil for most of us, but don’t let an ugly one ruin your new sleek hotel aesthetic.—
Brittney Morgan,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Jan. 2026
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On the contrary, what often works best are vague or utopian promises of deliverance, combined with an emotionally powerful depiction of the intolerable injustice and inescapable evils of the current regime.—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Profligacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profligacy. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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