spendthrift 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of spendthriftnext
as in wasteful
given to spending money freely or foolishly spendthrift consumers had amassed a mountain of debt on their credit cards

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

spendthrift

2 of 2

noun

ˈspen(d)-ˌthrift How to pronounce spendthrift (audio)
as in wastrel
someone who carelessly spends money the spendthrift managed to blow all of his inheritance in a single year

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of spendthrift
Adjective
That is all the more reason the state must get a better handle on its spendthrift ways. — The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 13 Jan. 2026 It would be accompanied by state audits into how spendthrift local governments overcharge for roads, school construction and parks. — Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
That is all the more reason the state must get a better handle on its spendthrift ways. — The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 13 Jan. 2026 When measured by budget deficit – the gap between government spending and revenue – France is also among the most spendthrift in the European Union, according to Eurostat, the bloc’s statistics office. — Ana Nicolaci Da Costa, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spendthrift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spendthrift
  1. wasteful
  2. wastrel
  3. spender
  4. prodigal
  5. waster
  6. profligate
Adjective
  • The chief executive of California’s High Speed Rail Authority abruptly resigned amid intensifying scrutiny over cost overruns, project delays and wasteful expenses.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The goal is to save money, cut back on overconsumption and be more mindful of wasteful and unsustainable shopping habits.
    — Margaret Cirino, NPR, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of wasteful
Noun
  • Only his father’s respectability, and perhaps his odd Motown accent, spared him from getting cussed out by bridesmaids at society weddings as a wastrel and drunkard, a shameless woman-wrapper.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Foster died destitute in 1864, after falling and injuring himself in the bathroom of a hotel on the Bowery, becoming perhaps the first of many famous wastrels in American popular music.
    — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
Definition of wastrel
Noun
  • DePaul has been able to shrink the gap in roster spending with the Big East’s middle tier of spenders.
    — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Other top spenders include Forge the Future Project ($612,000), which gets its funding from Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta Platforms; and AFC Victory Fund ($235,000), which promotes school choice initiatives.
    — David Wickert, AJC.com, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of spender
Noun
  • Twenty-six James Bond films (the 25 Eon joints, plus the prodigal Never Say Never Again) are coming to Netflix this month.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026
  • Secrets are revealed, prodigals return, intolerances surface and family bonds are tested.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of prodigal
Noun
  • On the other, evidence suggests this pair of habitual time-wasters were commonly found on the floor, running laughter through a Yamaha SPX90 effects processor for kicks and strumming the same note for 40-odd minutes.
    — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The form asks for the date and time of the watering, along with the waster’s address.
    — Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
Definition of waster
Noun
  • As nouveau riche neighbor Yermolái (Lance Gardner) tries to impress upon the profligate Liubóv that her property is in arrears and about to be auctioned off, the rules and tone of their world still seem unsettled under the direction of Carey Perloff.
    — Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Feb. 2026
  • In some ways, the game was set up for him, with Villa profligate but still regularly creating chances.
    — Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 18 Aug. 2024
Definition of profligate

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Cite this Entry

“Spendthrift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spendthrift. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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