as in spending
to use up carelessly
warned that a childhood spent hanging around indoors was a misspent youth indeed
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Recent Examples of misspending
Glen Gilzean, who left his Orange County post accused of misspending millions in taxpayer dollars, has been tapped as the new CEO of the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County.
—
Alexa Coultoff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Apr. 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
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
Alexa Coultoff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Apr. 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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misspending
Verb
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The child, identified by authorities as Klieber Moran, was rescued after spending six days trapped beneath the rubble, Rodríguez said.
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After spending two years in the Chicago Cubs organization as a consultant and scout, Little restarted his managerial career with the Dodgers, reuniting with some of his former players, including Nomar Garciaparra and Derek Lowe.
Verb
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Shortstop Francisco Lindor backed up and called off the converging outfielders before losing his footing and falling right in front of Tyrone Taylor, who tripped over Lindor while failing to make the catch.
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Amid the inextricable trauma of losing her 18-year-old child, the mother had feared that traditional funeral customs might be handled differently because of the manner in which her daughter died.
Cite this Entry
“Misspending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misspending. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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