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Synonyms

misspent

American  
[mis-spent] / mɪsˈspɛnt /

verb

  1. simple past tense and past participle of misspend.


adjective

  1. spent wrongly or unwisely; wasted.

    misspent youth.

Etymology

Origin of misspent

First recorded in 1425–75, for the adjective

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She plans out every part of the trip to avoid even one misspent moment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

He alleges that some government officials hoped to bypass the legal requirements, including public consultation, that are supposed to prevent taxpayers' money from being misspent.

From BBC • Dec. 20, 2024

Other issues to arise in this contest have included the role of school police on campus and allegations that the district misspent voter-approved funding to increase arts instruction, questions that the candidates have addressed below.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2024

Beutner said it was important not to wait, because it will be hard to claw back for students money that has already been misspent.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2024

“This can’t be the first time an unauthorized person misspent money.”

From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman