A person who spends too much | Britannica Dictionary (2024)

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What's a word for a person who spends too much? - jtirado, United States

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The word closest in meaning to what you want is spendthrift. Spendthrift is a noun that means "a person who spends money in a careless or wasteful way."

Other words that you might consider are adjectives that describe the trait of being a careless spender:

  • extravagant One of the meanings of extravagant is “spending a lot of money,” as in this example:

On my income, I can't afford to be extravagant.

  • profligate Profligate means “carelessly and foolishly wasting money, materials, etc.,” as in this sentence:

She was profligate in her spending.

  • improvident Improvident means not providing or saving for the future: not sensible regarding money, as in this sentence:

Her improvident habits left her with no retirement savings

The words suggested above are all slightly formal in tone. In casual conversation, many people would simply say, "He is careless with money," or "She spends too much."

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A person who spends too much | Britannica Dictionary (2024)

FAQs

A person who spends too much | Britannica Dictionary? ›

Answer. The word closest in meaning to what you want is spendthrift. Spendthrift is a noun that means "a person who spends money in a careless or wasteful way."

What do you call someone who spends too much? ›

“prodigal in their expenditures” synonyms: extravagant, profligate, spendthrift wasteful. tending to squander and waste. adjective.

What is a word for spending too much? ›

extravagance, squandering, profusion, profligacy. More Synonyms of overspending.

What is a word for frivolous spending? ›

given to spending money freely or foolishly spendthrift consumers had amassed a mountain of debt on their credit cards. wasteful. profligate. extravagant. generous.

What do you call a person who is too mean to spend money? ›

Miserly and stingy have negative connotations. Frugal means very careful with money/reluctant to spend a lot, but does not have negative connotations. But it doesn't automatically imply the level of hating to spend money that stingy does.

What is the word for spending recklessly? ›

Other forms: spendthrifts. A spendthrift person is reckless and wasteful with his money. If you're a spendthrift, you might find yourself in debt. However, it might be fun to have a spendthrift friend who likes to treat you to expensive lunches and lavish gifts.

What is a synonym for spending smartly? ›

Synonyms: penny-pinching, tight, stingy, miserly, prudent, careful, provident, chary, thrifty. Antonyms: profligate, prodigal, spendthrift, extravagant, wasteful. entailing little expense; requiring few resources; meager; scanty: a frugal meal.

What is the meaning of wasteful spending? ›

it represents spending that does not return value and in. some cases causes harm.

What do you call a person who loves money and doesn't like spending it? ›

Explanation: A person who loves money and hates spending it is called "Miser". Miser means a person who hoards wealth, and spends as little money as possible. Hoarder, saver, gatherer, cheapskate etc are synonyms of the word "miser".

What is the psychology behind overspending? ›

Overspending can happen for different reasons, such as: You might spend to make yourself feel better. Some people describe this as feeling like a temporary high. If you experience symptoms like mania or hypomania, you might spend more money or make impulsive financial decisions.

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