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Squander vs Consume - What's the difference?

squander | consume | Related terms |

Squander is a related term of consume.


As verbs the difference between squander and consume

is that squander is to waste, lavish, splurge; to spend lavishly or profusely; to dissipate while consume is .

squander

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To waste, lavish, splurge; to spend lavishly or profusely; to dissipate.
  • * 1746 , Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac Agribusiness Management
    • Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=September 24 , author=David Ornstein , title=Arsenal 3 - 0 Bolton , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=As the game opened up, Bolton squandered a fine opportunity to equalise - Chris Eagles shooting straight at Szczesny - but then back came Arsenal.}}
  • (obsolete) To scatter; to disperse.
  • * Dryden
    • Our squandered troops he rallies.
  • To wander at random; to scatter.
  • * Shakespeare
    • The wise man's folly is anatomized / Even by squandering glances of the fool.

    Usage notes

    Squander implies starting with many resources, such as great wealth, and then wasting them (using them up to little purpose or little effect), often ending with little. Particularly used in phrases such as “squander an opportunity” or “squander an inheritance”. It may be used even if one starts with little, though usually in some construction such as “squander what little he had”.

    Synonyms

    * waste, splurge * ducks and drakes * throw away

    References

    consume

    English

    Verb

    (consum)
  • To use.
    • The power plant consumes 30 tons of coal per hour.
  • To eat.
    • Baby birds consume their own weight in food each day.
  • To completely occupy the thoughts or attention of.
    • Desire consumed him.
  • To destroy completely.
    • The building was consumed by fire.
  • * Shakespeare
    • If he were putting to my house the brand / That shall consume it.
  • * Bible, Matthew vi. 20
    • Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume .
  • (obsolete) To waste away slowly.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Therefore, let Benedick, like cover'd fire, / Consume away in sighs.
  • * 1899 , Kate Chopin, The Awakening :
    • He assured her the child was consuming at that moment in the next room.

    Synonyms

    * (use) burn (of energy ), use, use up * (eat) devour, eat, swallow * (occupy) occupy, overcome, take over * (destroy) annihilate, destroy, devastate, eliminate, obliterate, raze (of a building ), wipe out

    Derived terms

    * consumer

    Related terms

    * consumption * consumptive