profligate
Adjective: Recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources; shamelessly immoral. Noun: A profligate person.
Stronger than 'prodigal,' 'profligate' often implies not just financial waste but also moral depravity or dissolute living. It suggests a complete lack of restraint and often leads to ruin.
Word relationships
- dissolute: Lax in morals; licentious.
- licentious: Disregarding accepted rules or conventions, especially in sexual matters.
- prodigal: Wastefully extravagant, but 'profligate' adds a stronger sense of immorality and ruin.
- virtuous: Having high moral standards.
- frugal: Sparing or economical with regard to money or food.
- thrifty: Using money and other resources carefully and not wastefully.
Commonly confused with
- prodigal: 'Profligate' implies a more severe and often morally corrupt form of wastefulness than 'prodigal'.
Word family
- profligacy (noun): Reckless extravagance or wastefulness in the use of resources; dissolute conduct.
Collocations
- profligate spending
- profligate lifestyle
- profligate habits
Example sentences
- "The dictator's profligate spending on personal luxuries while his people starved was a clear sign of his moral decay." Describing a corrupt politician.
- "Environmentalists warned against the profligate consumption of natural resources, fearing irreversible damage." Describing a society's habits.
Memory hook
A 'PROFLIGATE' person will 'FLING' their money 'PRO' (forward) until they are ruined. Fling money, ruin life
When not to use
Reserve 'profligate' for situations involving extreme, reckless wastefulness, often coupled with immoral or dissolute behavior. It's too strong for simple overspending.
Fun facts
- The root 'fligere' also appears in words like 'afflict' and 'conflict,' suggesting a sense of being struck or struggling.
Related words
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