Wastrel Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
๐ธ
wastrel
[หweษชstrษl ]
Definition
wasteful person
A wastrel is a person who wastes their time, money, or resources in a reckless or extravagant manner. Wastrels are often seen as irresponsible individuals who squander opportunities and fail to make the most of their potential.
Synonyms
prodigal, profligate, spendthrift, squanderer.
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
| Word | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| wastrel |
Someone who wastes resources or time irresponsibly, often showing little care for the consequences. The term is often negatively connoted.
|
| profligate |
Someone who is very wasteful, especially in terms of spending money, often with an implication of moral or ethical disregard. The term is also negatively biased.
|
| squanderer |
Someone who wastes money, resources, or opportunities thoughtlessly or foolishly. Often used when emphasizing the loss of potential value. This term carries negative connotations.
|
| prodigal |
Someone who spends money or resources freely and recklessly, often used in more formal or literary contexts. This term often carries a negative connotation involving wastefulness.
|
| spendthrift |
A person who spends money in an extravagant, irresponsible way. This term is often used in a negative sense.
|
Examples of usage
- He was known as a wastrel who spent his inheritance on frivolous pursuits.
- The wastrel continued to live beyond his means, accumulating debt with no regard for the consequences.
- She tried to help her brother overcome his wastrel tendencies and start saving for the future.
Translations
To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.
Interesting Facts
Literature
- Charles Dickens often portrayed wastrels in his novels, depicting characters that squander their wealth, such as in 'David Copperfield'.
- In Shakespeareโs plays, characters often critique wastrels as a sign of moral and social decay.
- Wastrel characters highlight themes of lost potential and societal expectations in many classic literary works.
Psychology
- The behavior of a wastrel can be linked to issues with impulse control, where individuals act without considering long-term consequences.
- Research shows that financial irresponsibility may stem from deeper psychological issues such as anxiety or low self-esteem.
- Wastrels might also exhibit self-sabotaging behaviors, which can be connected to patterns of fear of success or failure.
Pop Culture
- In films and shows, wastrel characters often serve as cautionary tales, showcasing the pitfalls of excess and irresponsibility.
- Popular media features characters like the โprodigal sonโ, who represents the classic wastrel that eventually seeks redemption.
- The term is used in modern contexts to critique lifestyle choices in the age of social media, where flashy spending is often glamorized.
Social Commentary
- Historically, wastrels have sometimes been viewed with a mix of disdain and pity, reflecting societal values about wealth and responsibility.
- The rise of consumer culture has turned the wastrel figure into a popular subject for discussion on economic disparity and privilege.
- Critics argue that the glorification of certain lifestyles in media can foster wastrel-like behavior among impressionable audiences.
Origin of 'wastrel'
Main points about word origin
- The word 'wastrel' comes from the Middle English 'wastrel', meaning 'wasteland' or someone who wastes what they have.
- It is derived from 'waste', which means to use something carelessly or irresponsibly.
- The term has been in use since around the 16th century, indicating a long-standing recognition of this behavior.
The word 'wastrel' originated in the late 16th century, derived from the combination of 'waste' and '-rel' (a suffix denoting an agent). Initially used to describe someone who wasted resources or opportunities, wastrel has evolved to encompass a broader sense of recklessness and extravagance. The term has negative connotations, emphasizing the irresponsible behavior of individuals who fail to use their resources wisely.
See also: wastage, wasted, wasteful, wastefulness, wasteland, waster.