squan·der
ˈskwän-dər 
squandered; squandering
ˈskwän-d(ə-)riŋ
2
: to cause to disperse : scatter
3
: to lose (something, such as an advantage or opportunity) through negligence or inaction
: an act of squandering
Examples of squander in a Sentence
Verb
He vowed not to squander this opportunity.
squandered all her money gambling in casinos
Recent Examples on the Web
CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
But on Monday, there was only that pit-of-your-stomach gnawing concoction of disappointment, frustration and emptiness that foments when a chance for history is squandered.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026
By late afternoon, Petrino watched his University of Arkansas football team (2-8, 0-6 SEC) squander a 14-0 first-quarter advantage in a 23-22 loss at LSU.
—Matt Byrne, Arkansas Online, 17 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for squander
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Verb
Anthony Edwards scored 38 points for the Timberwolves (27-17), who squandered a 15-point lead and closed out a four-game trip with three straight losses.
—CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
But on Monday, there was only that pit-of-your-stomach gnawing concoction of disappointment, frustration and emptiness that foments when a chance for history is squandered.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
Noun
Led by patriarch Eli Gemstone, the Gemstones build their ministry empire and squander much of the church’s money in the process.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026
By late afternoon, Petrino watched his University of Arkansas football team (2-8, 0-6 SEC) squander a 14-0 first-quarter advantage in a 23-22 loss at LSU.
—Matt Byrne, Arkansas Online, 17 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for squander
Cite this Entry
“Squander.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/squander. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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