Standard Lemma guide

misspend

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: M IH0 S S P EH1 N D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: M IH0 S P EH1 N D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To spend poorly, incorrectly or unwisely.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I misspent my youth making friends and meeting people. Wait a minute: that's the secret of my success!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

spend (money or other resources) unwisely

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: spend, expend, drop

3

verb

Meaning 3

spend time badly or unwisely

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He misspent his youth

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: spend, expend, drop

History

Etymology

From Middle English misspenden, equivalent to mis- + spend.