Prodigal
hardNegative tonePROD-ih-gul
adjective
Definition
Spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant
Memory hook
PRODI-GAL: The PRODIGAL son wasted his entire inheritance -- recklessly extravagant.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“His prodigal spending left him bankrupt.”
“The prodigal son returned home after squandering his inheritance.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“His ______ spending left him bankrupt.”
Show answer
prodigal
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Prodigal is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "wasteful" or "extravagant" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "frugal".
Related GRE Words
profligate
Recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources
extravagant
Lacking restraint in spending money or using resources
excessive
More than is necessary, normal, or desirable; immoderate
lavish
Sumptuously rich, elaborate, or luxurious
parsimony
extreme unwillingness to spend money or use resources; stinginess
closefisted
Unwilling to spend money; miserly
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