as in to spend
to use up carelessly
warned that a childhood spent hanging around indoors was a misspent youth indeed
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of misspend
In Mississippi, federal investigators say roughly $77 million dollars in welfare funds were misspent during the state’s largest public welfare embezzlement scheme.
—
Aisha Nyandoro,
Forbes.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Another is the surprising fact that no Florida law specifically prohibits public officials from misspending public funds on political advertising.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Jan. 2026
Visit our website Between 2016 and 2020, Mississippi organizations that received TANF funding to conduct things like workforce development and teen pregnancy prevention misspent or stole at least $77 million.
—
Bryce Covert,
Washington Post,
21 Jan. 2026
There are literally a million better ways to stop food waste than partnering with a family that has been convicted of felonies for misspending nonprofit money.
—
Emily Barnes,
USA Today,
24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misspend
Aisha Nyandoro,
Forbes.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Another is the surprising fact that no Florida law specifically prohibits public officials from misspending public funds on political advertising.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Jan. 2026
Visit our website Between 2016 and 2020, Mississippi organizations that received TANF funding to conduct things like workforce development and teen pregnancy prevention misspent or stole at least $77 million.
—
Bryce Covert,
Washington Post,
21 Jan. 2026
There are literally a million better ways to stop food waste than partnering with a family that has been convicted of felonies for misspending nonprofit money.
—
Emily Barnes,
USA Today,
24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for misspend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misspend
Verb
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During our time away, our neighbors visited with us at the hospital, looked after our house and came over daily to feed and spend time with our cat.
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American doctors are so conspicuously well-paid that a group of economic researchers spent years trying to figure out why.
Verb
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The Padres, meanwhile, have lost six straight and given up 66 runs over the last six days, the most in such a span in franchise history.
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But water also carries the potential for danger, and parents who have lost a child to drowning are begging families to use caution.
Cite this Entry
“Misspend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misspend. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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