fritter away
Spend on nothing
To fritter away time, money, or opportunity is to waste it gradually through small, aimless expenditures rather than all at once: He frittered away his inheritance on gadgets and gambling.
The phrase suggests carelessness—resources disappearing bit by bit without anything to show for them.
She frittered away the afternoon scrolling through social media.
Linger without purpose
- loafBaked bread shape
- idleWithout activity or purpose
- lazePass time idly
- loungeComfortable waiting room
drift · potter · dillydally · twiddle thumbs · kill time · while away · putter · mess around
Unwanted discarded material
- misspendUse wastefully or unwisely
- dissipateGradually fade away
- blowMove air forcefully
- splurgeSpend freely, impulsively
misuse · deplete · exhaust · drain · consume · burn through · use up · throw away
Inattentive, prone to mistakes
- heedlessCareless of consequences
- thoughtlessShowing no consideration
- irresponsibleLacking sense of duty
- shortsightedUnable to see ahead
imprudent · foolish · negligent · wasteful · profligate · improvident · rash · unwise
dawdle
Linger without purpose
lounge · drift · potter · dillydally · twiddle thumbs · kill time · while away · putter · mess around · fool around
waste
Unwanted discarded material
splurge · misuse · deplete · exhaust · drain · consume · burn through · use up · throw away · lavish
careless
Inattentive, prone to mistakes
- heedlessCareless of consequences
- thoughtlessShowing no consideration
- irresponsibleLacking sense of duty
shortsighted · imprudent · foolish · negligent · wasteful · profligate · improvident · rash · unwise · frivolous
dwindle
Decrease gradually over time
slip away · leak · ebb · chip away · drain away · seep · peter out · evaporate · melt away · wither
fritter awayconserve
Keep from being depleted
save · invest · preserve · husband · put to good use
fritter awayfocus
Concentrated attention point
concentrate · dedicate · devote · apply oneself · channel