Profligate: meaning, definitions and examples

This word is best used to describe someone or something that spends money or resources recklessly and wastefully. It usually carries a negative connotation, implying moral irresponsibility or a lack of self-control.

• He was known as a profligate spender who blew through his inheritance in just a few years.
• The company's profligate use of resources led to its eventual bankruptcy.

This word is suitable when describing spending that is excessive and more than what is necessary, often highlighting the opulence and luxury. It can have a negative connotation, but it is not as severe as 'profligate'.

• She threw an extravagant birthday party, complete with a live band and gourmet catering.
• Their vacation was incredibly extravagant, with first-class flights and stays at five-star hotels.

Use this word to describe actions or behavior that result in the unnecessary loss or misuse of resources. It is often used in a variety of contexts beyond money, such as time, energy, or materials, and typically has a negative connotation.

• The wasteful disposal of plastics is harming the environment.
• His wasteful habits were evident in the way he left lights on and water running.

This term is used for a person who spends money in an extravagant, irresponsible manner. It often hints at a habitual pattern of wasteful spending and carries a somewhat negative tone.

• Being a spendthrift, he found himself in debt despite earning a high salary.
• Her spendthrift tendencies made it difficult for her to save any money.

This term is used to describe someone who recklessly wastes resources or money. It has a strong negative connotation and implies moral laxity or irresponsibility.

• His profligate spending habits led him to bankruptcy

Use this word to refer to a person who frequently indulges in excessive pleasures, especially those related to sensual or immoral activities. It carries a negative judgment.

• The count was known as a debauchee, always hosting wild parties that lasted for days

This word refers to a person who acts without moral restraints, especially in sexual matters. It can be used in a more neutral or even slightly positive light if emphasizing freedom from conventional norms, but often it has a negative connotation.

• The poet was considered a libertine, unafraid to challenge societal norms in his works and life

This term is used for someone who has declined from a state of moral or physical integrity to a lower or corrupt state. It is strongly negative and often implies a loss of social or personal quality.

• In his old age, he became a degenerate, abandoning all the principles he once held dear