spendthrift
/ˈspɛn(d)θɹɪft/
Group 1Difficulty 1/3
Definitions
- (noun)
- A person who spends money in an extravagant, irresponsible way GRE
- (adjective)
- Characterized by wasteful spending GRE
Example in Context
The inheritance was squandered within a year by the spendthrift heir, whose lavish lifestyle quickly outpaced even the enormous sum.
Synonyms
big spenderwastefulextravagant
Etymology
Someone who spends resources recklessly.
- spend (Old English) — to expend
- thrift (Old English) — wealth or resources
Memory Aid
💸Sounds like “spend thrift”
If you SPEND like a THRIFTLESS fool, you're a SPENDTHRIFT!
Visual Association
💰A person tossing cash into the air while standing in a store filled with luxury items.
Semantic Clusters
Synonym Groups
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “spendthrift” mean on the GRE?
spendthrift (noun) means “A person who spends money in an extravagant, irresponsible way”. The inheritance was squandered within a year by the spendthrift heir, whose lavish lifestyle quickly outpaced even the enormous sum.
How to remember “spendthrift” for the GRE?
Mnemonic: “spendthrift” sounds like “spend thrift”. If you SPEND like a THRIFTLESS fool, you're a SPENDTHRIFT!
What are synonyms for “spendthrift”?
Common synonyms: big spender, wasteful, extravagant.