1
as in spent
to use up carelessly
squandered all her money gambling in casinos
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dispersed
to cause (members of a group) to move widely apart
a single blast of the shotgun squandered the herd of deer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of squandered
In other games during the barren run, chances have been created and squandered.
—
Andy Naylor, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
The Kings had squandered talent, particularly in the 2023 offseason, before losing players in free agency and due to trade requests.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
Peter Duesberg squandered his scientific reputation by advancing a debunked theory about AIDS, but his influence on anti-vaccine activists lives on, writes columnist Michael Hiltzik.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Venezuelans in the past two decades have watched as the regime squandered the wealth that oil had created, let the country’s oil infrastructure rot, removed gasoline subsidies, and welcomed a bigger hand from Cuba, bartering oil for professionals and intelligence operatives from Havana.
—The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
Atlanta still entered halftime with a comfortable 60-46 lead, however, after Boston squandered a chance to draw closer by botching the final possession of the half.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
Forget the fact that the milk spiller was equally devastated to have squandered his treat all over his sister’s sweater.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2026
Yet, despite this opening, the North Londoners have squandered their opportunity, matching their rivals in dropping crucial points.
—Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall, who play the law-enforcement partners leading the investigation, have a natural chemistry that’s promptly squandered when Hall’s character gets infected and turns into a younger, supposedly more attractive version of herself.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
Andy Naylor, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
The Kings had squandered talent, particularly in the 2023 offseason, before losing players in free agency and due to trade requests.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
Peter Duesberg squandered his scientific reputation by advancing a debunked theory about AIDS, but his influence on anti-vaccine activists lives on, writes columnist Michael Hiltzik.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Venezuelans in the past two decades have watched as the regime squandered the wealth that oil had created, let the country’s oil infrastructure rot, removed gasoline subsidies, and welcomed a bigger hand from Cuba, bartering oil for professionals and intelligence operatives from Havana.
—The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
Atlanta still entered halftime with a comfortable 60-46 lead, however, after Boston squandered a chance to draw closer by botching the final possession of the half.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
Forget the fact that the milk spiller was equally devastated to have squandered his treat all over his sister’s sweater.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2026
Yet, despite this opening, the North Londoners have squandered their opportunity, matching their rivals in dropping crucial points.
—Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall, who play the law-enforcement partners leading the investigation, have a natural chemistry that’s promptly squandered when Hall’s character gets infected and turns into a younger, supposedly more attractive version of herself.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squandered
Verb
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Nebraska, meanwhile, has spent the last quarter-century chasing memories.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The nurses in the Pitt have spent the most time with Louie over the years, and his death would hit them hard.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Defense Department's trillion-dollar budget is dispersed throughout smaller agencies and funding streams that use incompatible and often antiquated computer systems to keep track of money.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
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The remaining students ultimately dispersed, and normal traffic conditions were restored, the police department said.—
Molly Morrow,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That is often lost in the myth of baseball in Denver.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
12 Feb. 2026
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Of course, the circumstances for why each band lost their personnel varies, such as illness (Mick Jones), death (the 1977 Skynyrd airplane crash), and the inevitable need for retirement.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
It's never wasted in the singing lesson.—
Sari Hitchins,
Parents,
5 Feb. 2026
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The result is wasted energy, excess heat, and diminishing returns on efficiency improvements that once accompanied each generation of smaller transistors.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Squandered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squandered. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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