misspending
Frittering away money
Misspending is the act of spending money unwisely or for wrong purposes.
The word typically appears in discussions of public funds or institutional budgets: an investigation into the misspending of grant money.
It implies not just poor judgment but misallocation—money going where it shouldn't have gone.
Wrongful taking of entrusted assets
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- misallocationImproper distribution of resources
- squanderingReckless depletion of resources
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
diversion · peculation · defalcation · malfeasance · corruption · pilferage · mismanagement · misapplication
Excessive, wasteful spending
- profligacyReckless, wasteful extravagance
- overspendingExceeding one's budget
- squanderUse up carelessly
- frivolityUnserious, lighthearted conduct
lavishness · excess · overconsumption · prodigality · indulgence · splurging · blowing · hemorrhaging
Amount still owed
- debtMoney owed another
- bankruptcyLegal status when insolvent
- insolvencyInability to pay debts
- shortfallFailure to reach quota
depletion · penury · arrears · indebtedness · impoverishment · financial ruin · overdraft · foreclosure
Betting on uncertain results
- speculationUnproven theorizing or risky investment
- impulse buyingUnplanned purchase decision
- splurgingSpending freely, excessively
- get-rich-quickSeeking rapid wealth
day trading · lottery tickets · casino · betting · careless · shortsighted · improvident · heedless
Guilt for wrongdoing
- guiltMoral self-reproach
- buyer's remorseRegret after a purchase
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
- self-reproachBlaming oneself for wrongdoing
repentance · chagrin · disappointment · hindsight · second-guessing · shame · compunction · reckoning
misappropriation
Wrongful taking of entrusted assets
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- misallocationImproper distribution of resources
- squanderingReckless depletion of resources
fraud · diversion · peculation · defalcation · malfeasance · corruption · pilferage · mismanagement · misapplication · abuse
extravagance
Excessive, wasteful spending
- profligacyReckless, wasteful extravagance
- overspendingExceeding one's budget
- squanderUse up carelessly
frivolity · lavishness · excess · overconsumption · prodigality · indulgence · splurging · blowing · hemorrhaging · imprudence
deficit
Amount still owed
- debtMoney owed another
- bankruptcyLegal status when insolvent
- insolvencyInability to pay debts
shortfall · depletion · penury · arrears · indebtedness · impoverishment · financial ruin · overdraft · foreclosure · repossession
gambling
Betting on uncertain results
- speculationUnproven theorizing or risky investment
- impulse buyingUnplanned purchase decision
- splurgingSpending freely, excessively
get-rich-quick · day trading · lottery tickets · casino · betting · careless · shortsighted · improvident · heedless
remorse
Guilt for wrongdoing
- guiltMoral self-reproach
- buyer's remorseRegret after a purchase
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
self-reproach · repentance · chagrin · disappointment · hindsight · second-guessing · shame · compunction · reckoning · accountability
- Budget Errorsoverspending, underestimating, cost overrun, shortfall, deficit
- depletingusing up, depleting, exhausting, draining, consuming
misspendingeconomizing
Reducing expenditures deliberately
budgeting · thrift · saving · investing · conserving
misspendingsaving
Reserving for future use
investing · stewarding · conserving · safeguarding · preserving
spent, spend, expensive, spending, expenses, dispense, dispenser, expenditure, expenditures