profligacy

noun

prof·​li·​ga·​cy ˈprä-fli-gə-sē How to pronounce profligacy (audio)
Synonyms of profligacynext
: the quality or state of being profligate

Examples of profligacy in a Sentence

a religious leader who railed against the profligacy of the nation's decadent aristocrats
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
There were no sitters within that catalogue of misses — nothing toe-curling or likely to do a million views on YouTube — but his profligacy allowed Dortmund to escape with a 2-1 win. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026 Raising its own bar for college sports profligacy, the University of Texas’s athletic department reported spending $375.9 million in operating expenses in fiscal 2025—a $50 million jump over its previous, record-setting year. Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 22 Jan. 2026 The State of Illinois and City of Chicago’s finances have been in a continuous downward spiral because of their unbalanced budgets, spending, profligacy, and inability — especially from Chicago — to deal with the staggering unfunded pension liabilities. Joe Sanders, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026 Gold’s record highs are primarily a function of a lack of faith in governments to restrain their fiscal profligacy. Michael Khouw, CNBC, 8 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for profligacy

Word History

First Known Use

1738, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of profligacy was in 1738

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Cite this Entry

“Profligacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/profligacy. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

profligacy

noun
prof·​li·​ga·​cy ˈpräf-li-gə-sē How to pronounce profligacy (audio)
: the quality or state of being profligate

More from Merriam-Webster on profligacy

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