squan·der
ˈskwän-dər 
squandered; squandering
ˈskwän-d(ə-)riŋ
2
: to cause to disperse : scatter
3
: to lose (something, such as an advantage or opportunity) through negligence or inaction
: an act of squandering
Examples of squander in a Sentence
Verb
He vowed not to squander this opportunity.
squandered all her money gambling in casinos
Recent Examples on the Web
Will Graves, Twin Cities, 13 Jan. 2026
The last came Monday night, when the AFC North champions squandered some early momentum before getting drilled 30-6 by Houston, the most lopsided home playoff loss in team history.
—Will Graves, Baltimore Sun, 13 Jan. 2026
Matt Byrne, Arkansas Online, 17 Nov. 2025
The agency’s disclosure double-standard undermines the rule of law and squanders taxpayer dollars.
—Ross Marchand, Baltimore Sun, 23 June 2025
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Verb
The final came Monday night, when the AFC North champions squandered some early momentum before getting drilled 30-6 by Houston, the most lopsided home playoff loss in team history.
—Noun
By late afternoon, Petrino watched his University of Arkansas football team (2-8, 0-6 SEC) squander a 14-0 first-quarter advantage in a 23-22 loss at LSU.
—Cite this Entry
“Squander.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/squander. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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