Definition

To use money or resources in a way that is not wise or effective, often wasting them instead of using them for a good purpose.

Example

He regretted how he misspent his savings on unnecessary things.

Tense Forms

Conversation

Do you ever worry that you might misspend your time on trivial things?

Sometimes, but I try to focus on what really matters to me.

Yeah, I've definitely misspent my weekends just binge-watching shows.

Same here! It's easy to lose track when there's so much to watch.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Misspend → It is formed from "mis-" (meaning wrongly or badly) and "spend" (from Old English "spendan", meaning to expend or use). The word "misspend" means to use or expend resources in a wrong or unwise manner.

Memory Tip

Think of using resources 'wrongly' ('mis-') — that's why misspend means to spend in a bad way.

Visually Confused Words