squander

verb

ˈskwän-dər How to pronounce squander (audio)
Definition of squandernext
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

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 squander But in the semifinals, England squandered a late 1-0 lead to Lionel Messi and Argentina, and France — a tournament favorite —was outclassed 2-0 by Spain. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026 France lost to Spain in the semifinals and squandered its chance at reaching a third straight World Cup final. — ABC News, 18 July 2026 The firing of Fedorov has led to panic in many Western pro-Ukraine circles, with observers fearing Zelensky is squandering Ukraine’s recent bout of good fortune through firing the mastermind of Ukraine’s drone advancements. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 16 July 2026 Democrats still have plenty of time to squander their advantage. — Jack Herrera, New Yorker, 14 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for squander
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squander
  1. spend
  2. disperse
  3. lose
  4. waste
Verb
  • Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and the author of The Power of Habit, which spent over three years on bestseller lists and has been translated into 40 languages, and Smarter Faster Better, also a bestseller.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Syeda Sultana, chief operating officer at the digital marketing platform Vettted, spent a decade managing a global sustainability program.
    — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of spend
Verb
  • For a community that is often global and dispersed rather than concentrated in one place, that structure fills a real gap.
    — Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • In America, they are dispersed across basketball, football, baseball, wrestling and several other sports long before rugby enters the conversation.
    — Daniel Gallan, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of disperse
Verb
  • As team president Mark Donovan put it on Wednesday while speaking at the opening of training camp at Missouri Western, the focus forward began almost instantly after the Chiefs lost their season finale to the Raiders in Las Vegas.
    — Vahe Gregorian July 31, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
  • Lipow estimates the world has lost about 6 million to 7 million barrels of refining capacity per day, making existing refineries even more profitable.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
Definition of lose
Verb
  • Smart lighting energy automation shuts that waste down without asking you to remember anything, and the tools to set it up have gotten cheap enough that a single afternoon can pay off for years.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson July 31, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
  • Alonso has arrived at Stamford Bridge after establishing himself as one of Europe’s brightest young coaches, and Chelsea have wasted little time reshaping their squad around the Spaniard’s ideas.
    — Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of waste

Browse Nearby Words

squamous
squander
squandered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Squander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squander. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on squander

Nglish: Translation of squander for Spanish Speakers

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