squander Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb spend thoughtlessly; throw away
    blow; waste.
    • He wasted his inheritance on his insincere friends
    • You squandered the opportunity to get and advanced degree
  2. verb spend extravagantly
    ware; waste; consume.
    • waste not, want not

WordNet

Squan"der transitive verb
Etymology
Cf. Scot. squatter to splash water about, to scatter, to squander, Prov. E. swatter, Dan. sqvatte, Sw. sqvätta to squirt, sqvättra to squander, Icel. skvetta to squirt out, to throw out water.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Squandered ; present participle & verbal noun Squandering
Definitions
  1. To scatter; to disperse. Obs.
    Our squandered troops he rallies. Dryden.
  2. To spend lavishly or profusely; to spend prodigally or wastefully; to use without economy or judgment; to dissipate; as, to squander an estate.
    The crime of squandering health is equal to the folly. Rambler.
    Syn. -- To spend; expend; waste; scatter; dissipate.
Squan"der intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To spend lavishly; to be wasteful.
    They often squandered, but they never gave. Savage.
  2. To wander at random; to scatter. R.
    The wise man's folly is anatomized Even by squandering glances of the fool. Shak.
Squan"der noun
Definitions
  1. The act of squandering; waste.

Webster 1913