prodigal

Pluralprodigals

1. 1
   wastefuladjective

   Spending too much money or using too much of something, in a wasteful way.

   Their prodigal spending on new cars left them with no savings at all.

   Her uncle was so prodigal that he spent a whole year's pay in one month.

   UsageOften in prodigal spending.

   Similarlavish, squandering

   Oppositefrugal

   Note
2. 2
   adjective

   Having left your family, group, or beliefs, often coming back later and feeling sorry you went.

   After years of silence, the prodigal daughter came home and said sorry to her parents.

   Fans cheered when the prodigal player, who had left for a richer team, came back to his old club.

   UsageOften in the prodigal son who comes home.

   Note
3. 3
   a wasteful personnouncountable

   A person who wastes money or other things by spending them carelessly.

   Her grandfather was a prodigal who spent the family savings on fast cars.

   Even a prodigal can learn to save with a strict budget.

   Similarspendthrift, wastrel, profligate, squanderer, waster

   Oppositemiser, saver, skinflint

   Note
4. 4
   adjective

   Giving a lot of something very freely, or having a very large amount of something.

   Our coach was prodigal with praise after the team's first win.

   Grandma is always prodigal with second helpings at Sunday dinner.

   UsageOften followed by of or with: prodigal with compliments.

   Similarlavish, generous, liberal, profuse, unsparing

   Oppositesparing, stingy, miserly

   Note

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