1
as in to spend
to use up carelessly
squandered all her money gambling in casinos
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to disperse
to cause (members of a group) to move widely apart
a single blast of the shotgun squandered the herd of deer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of squander
Venezuelans in the past two decades have watched as the regime squandered the wealth that oil had created, let the country’s oil infrastructure rot, removed gasoline subsidies, and welcomed a bigger hand from Cuba, bartering oil for professionals and intelligence operatives from Havana.
—
The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
Forget the fact that the milk spiller was equally devastated to have squandered his treat all over his sister’s sweater.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2026
Yet, despite this opening, the North Londoners have squandered their opportunity, matching their rivals in dropping crucial points.
—Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall, who play the law-enforcement partners leading the investigation, have a natural chemistry that’s promptly squandered when Hall’s character gets infected and turns into a younger, supposedly more attractive version of herself.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for squander
The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
Forget the fact that the milk spiller was equally devastated to have squandered his treat all over his sister’s sweater.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2026
Yet, despite this opening, the North Londoners have squandered their opportunity, matching their rivals in dropping crucial points.
—Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall, who play the law-enforcement partners leading the investigation, have a natural chemistry that’s promptly squandered when Hall’s character gets infected and turns into a younger, supposedly more attractive version of herself.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for squander
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squander
Verb
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Harris, who spent part of his youth living on Navajo reservations where his mother was a teacher, took a Navajo Nation flag with him on the shuttle to raise awareness about issues faced by Native Americans.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
9 Feb. 2026
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The writer Michael Wolff, meanwhile — the only journalist to have written about spending extensive time with Epstein — appears in the files sharing a draft of a profile with Epstein, and thanking him for a pair of shoes.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Officer Norma Eisenman, an LAPD spokeswoman, said police made 51 arrests Saturday evening, with 47 adults and three juveniles cited and released for failure to disperse.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
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Participants were also asked to discuss whether markets should be centrally located, located on the South and West sides or dispersed throughout the city.—
Talia Soglin,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Republican primary field also includes Brown, Michele Morrow, who won a surprise 2024 primary before narrowly losing statewide, along with Margot Dupre, Richard Dansie, Elizabeth Temple, and Thomas Johnson.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Feb. 2026
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The decline in future spending commitments is projected to lead to 670,000 and 1,600,000 lives lost annually.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When Ali Ansari was 12, living with his family in a single room at his aunt’s house in Woodland Hills, his immigrant mother told him to stop wasting time staring at his phone and try making money with it.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
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Remember when the talk was wasting Dan Marino’s career?—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Squander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squander. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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