squander
squan·der/ˈskwɑn.dɚ/verb
squander is spelled S-Q-U-A-N-D-E-R: 8 letters and 2 syllables (squan·der). It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 39,832nd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, squander means “To waste, lavish, splurge; to spend lavishly or profusely; to dissipate” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in squander?
| Letters | 8: S-Q-U-A-N-D-E-R |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: squan·der |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 39,832nd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is squander?
Squander appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 39,832nd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce squander?
- UK /ˈskwɒnd.ə/
- UK [ˈskwɒn.də]
- US /ˈskwɑn.dɚ/
Squander has 2 syllables, split squan·der in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-squander.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with squander?
7 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as squander from its last stressed vowel (/ɑndəɹ/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of squander
- squanders present, singular, he/she/it
- squandering participle, present
- squandered participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does squander mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To waste, lavish, splurge; to spend lavishly or profusely; to dissipate.
.
- 2
obsoleteTo scatter; to disperse.
- 3
obsoleteTo wander at random; to scatter.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Squander in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense to waste:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | gâcher, gaspiller, dilapider |
| German | verschwenden, vergeuden, verprassen |
| Portuguese | esbanjar |
| Spanish | malbaratar, despilfarrar, derrochar, farrear, malgastar, desperdiciar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does squander come from?
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.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).