Squander Meaning
/ˈskwɒnd.ə/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo waste, lavish, splurge; to spend lavishly or profusely; to dissipate.
verbTo scatter; to disperse.
Sentence Examples
Don't squander your newly earned money!
Do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of.
Do not squander time. That's the stuff life is made of.
CEFR Practice Quiz
He tends to ____ his paycheck on useless items.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
It is a great shame to ____ such a wonderful talent by not practicing and working hard every single day today.
Word Origin & History
Earliest uses (late 16th c.) "to spend recklessly or prodigiously", also "to scatter over a wide area". Of unknown origin. Perhaps a blend of scatter + wander. Compare Danish skvætte (rare)/skvatte (“to splash”) (nominalised: skvæt), Icelandic skvetta (“to squirt”), Swedish skvätta (“to splash”), Norwegian Bokmål skvette.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"As the game opened up, Bolton squandered a fine opportunity to equalise - Chris Eagles shooting straight at Szczesny - but then back came Arsenal."
— 2011 September 24, David Ornstein, “Arsenal 3 - 0 Bolton”, in BBC Sport:
"[…]our ſquander’d Troops he rallies:[…]"
— 1681, John Dryden, The Spanish Fryar: Or, the Double Discovery. […], London: […] Richard Tonson and Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act I, page 2:
"[…]The Wiſe-mans folly is anathomiz’d / Euen by ſquandring glances of the foole."
— c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene vii], page 193, column 1:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
He tends to ____ his paycheck on useless items.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
It is a great shame to ____ such a wonderful talent by not practicing and working hard every single day today.