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Misspent: meaning, definitions and examples

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misspent

 

[ mɪsˈpɛnt ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

wasted time

Misspent refers to the use of time or resources in a manner that is imprudent or not productive. It is often associated with activities that do not yield beneficial outcomes, leading to regret over how time or money has been used. The term implies a sense of squandering, often with a connotation of irresponsibility or poor judgment. Misspent moments can be seen in various contexts, from personal life to business.

Synonyms

misallocated, misused, squandered, wasted

Examples of usage

  • He realized he had misspent his youth on trivial pursuits.
  • The funds were misspent on unnecessary projects.
  • She lamented her misspent college years.
  • Years of misspent time left him longing for new beginnings.

Translations

Translations of the word "misspent" in other languages:

🇵🇹 mal gasto

🇮🇳 बिगड़ना

🇩🇪 missbraucht

🇮🇩 salah pakai

🇺🇦 неправильно витрачений

🇵🇱 źle wydany

🇯🇵 無駄遣いされた

🇫🇷 mal dépensé

🇪🇸 malgastado

🇹🇷 yanlış harcanmış

🇰🇷 잘못 사용된

🇸🇦 مُصروف بشكل سيء

🇨🇿 špatně utracený

🇸🇰 zle vynaložený

🇨🇳 错误花费的

🇸🇮 slabo porabljen

🇮🇸 misnotaður

🇰🇿 дұрыс жұмсалмаған

🇬🇪 არასწორად დახარჯული

🇦🇿 səhv xərclənmiş

🇲🇽 malgastado

Etymology

The term 'misspent' is derived from the prefix 'mis-' which denotes 'badly' or 'wrongly' combined with the word 'spent,' the past participle of the verb 'spend.' The prefix 'mis-' has Old English roots, coming from 'mis-' which means 'wrongly, badly, or ill'. 'Spent' traces back to the Old English 'sponden', meaning 'to expend, to consume, or to spend.' Over time, 'misspent' emerged in the English language to describe the inappropriate or careless utilization of resources, especially in the context of time and wealth. This word gained usage as society began to reflect more on the value of time and the consequences of one's actions in personal development and financial management.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #34,037 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.