misspent
Intermediate (B1)
IPA: //ˈmɪsˌspɛnt//
KK: /ˈmɪsˌspɛnt/
adjective
Definition
Used in a way that is not good or useful, often referring to time or money that has been wasted.
Example
He regretted his misspent youth, wishing he had made better choices.
Conversation
I feel like I really misspent my time last summer.
What do you mean? Did you not do anything fun?
Yeah, I just wasted days binge-watching shows instead of exploring.
I get that — sometimes it's easy to let time slip away like that.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
squandered
wasted
misused
Antonyms
valued
invested
utilized
verb
Definition
To use money or time in a way that is not wise or beneficial.
Example
He realized he had misspent his youth on trivial pursuits.
Tense Forms
Past: misspent
Past Participle: misspent
Conversation
I really misspent my time on that video game yesterday.
What happened? Did you lose track of time?
Yeah, I thought I’d just play for an hour, but it turned into three.
Root Explanation
Misspent → It is formed from "mis-" (meaning wrongly or badly) and "spend" (from Old English "spendan", meaning to expend or use). The word "misspent" means to use resources or time in a wrong or unwise manner.
Memory Tip
Think of using something 'wrongly' ('mis-') when you 'spend' it — that's why misspent means to use resources in a bad way.
Visually Confused Words
misassent
dissent