prodigal
1 of 2adjective
prod·i·gal ˈprä-di-gəl 
1
: characterized by profuse or wasteful expenditure : lavish
a prodigal feast
prodigal outlays for her clothes
2
: recklessly spendthrift
the prodigal prince
3
: yielding abundantly : luxuriant —often used with of
nature has been so prodigal of her bounty
H. T. Buckle
H. T. Buckle prodigality
ˌprä-də-ˈga-lə-tē
noun prodigally
ˈprä-di-g(ə-)lē
adverb prodigal
2 of 2noun
1
: one who spends or gives lavishly and foolishly
2
: one who has returned after an absence
Synonyms
Adjective
- extravagant
- high-rolling
- profligate
- spendthrift
- squandering
- thriftless
- unthrifty
- wasteful
Noun
- fritterer
- high roller
- profligate
- spender
- spendthrift
- squanderer
- waster
- wastrel
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective We sipped our beers and wondered at one another, at what was left of all that and of those prodigal days. Michael Chabon, A Model World and Other Stories, 1991 The prodigal use of antibiotics in animals has the same consequence as their overprescription for human beings. Cullen Murphy, New York Times Book Review, 10 June 1984 Mr. Bulstrode replied without haste, but also without hesitation. "I am grieved, though, I confess, not surprised by this information, Mr. Lydgate. For my own part, I regretted your alliance with my brother-in-law's family, which has always been of prodigal habits, and which has already been much indebted to me for sustainment in its present position … " George Eliot, Middlemarch, 1872 the prodigal child always spent her allowance the minute she got it Noun Such a trustee had been first instituted by the praetor, to save a family from the blind havoc of a prodigal or madman … Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 1788 the million-dollar lottery winner was such a prodigal that his windfall was exhausted after only a few years See More
Michael Chabon, A Model World and Other Stories, 1991 The prodigal use of antibiotics in animals has the same consequence as their overprescription for human beings. Cullen Murphy, New York Times Book Review, 10 June 1984 Mr. Bulstrode replied without haste, but also without hesitation. "I am grieved, though, I confess, not surprised by this information, Mr. Lydgate. For my own part, I regretted your alliance with my brother-in-law's family, which has always been of prodigal habits, and which has already been much indebted to me for sustainment in its present position … " George Eliot, Middlemarch, 1872 the prodigal child always spent her allowance the minute she got it Noun Such a trustee had been first instituted by the praetor, to save a family from the blind havoc of a prodigal or madman … Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 1788 the million-dollar lottery winner was such a prodigal that his windfall was exhausted after only a few years See More Recent Examples on the Web Cesar Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Aug. 2022 This offseason, the Patriots made just a ripple in free agency, bringing back prodigal cornerback Malcolm Butler and signing safety Jabrill Peppers. Christopher L. Gasper, BostonGlobe.com, 26 July 2022 After a string of not-quite-right leaders, prodigal CEO Steve Jobs returned to the company and shook up its computer lineup with a slew of cheap, colorful iMacs in 1998. Washington Post, 10 May 2022 That said, prodigal oligarch Roman Abramovich has tried his hand--in an opaque context--to work diplomatic magic, to ostensibly push for an end to the war. Amy Kellogg, Fox News, 24 Apr. 2022 Jack, the prodigal son, is home after two decades away and a long stint in prison. Heather Hansman, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2022 In this setting, a young Arthur Pendragon goes on a journey to become a warrior, which takes him from prodigal son to legendary leader. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 19 Aug. 2022 McCarthy obsessives debate at length the degree to which his novel Suttree, with its descriptions of ruin from the damming of the Tennessee River, is autobiographical, a prodigal son’s rebuke of his father. Rachel Kushner, Harper’s Magazine , 20 July 2022 Seeing his mom after all these years, is an understandable desire — not that the visit goes the way this prodigal son hoped. Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 14 July 2022 Scott Burns, Dallas News, 18 Dec. 2020 As a youth, Mr. Graham, now 65, was the prodigal of the Graham family, a college dropout fond of alcohol. Elizabeth Dias, New York Times, 27 May 2018 See More
Adjective
As in a film montage, our prodigal taquero hero will go off, train and perfect his craft, and come back stronger than ever. Cesar Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Aug. 2022 This offseason, the Patriots made just a ripple in free agency, bringing back prodigal cornerback Malcolm Butler and signing safety Jabrill Peppers. Christopher L. Gasper, BostonGlobe.com, 26 July 2022 After a string of not-quite-right leaders, prodigal CEO Steve Jobs returned to the company and shook up its computer lineup with a slew of cheap, colorful iMacs in 1998. Washington Post, 10 May 2022 That said, prodigal oligarch Roman Abramovich has tried his hand--in an opaque context--to work diplomatic magic, to ostensibly push for an end to the war. Amy Kellogg, Fox News, 24 Apr. 2022 Jack, the prodigal son, is home after two decades away and a long stint in prison. Heather Hansman, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2022 In this setting, a young Arthur Pendragon goes on a journey to become a warrior, which takes him from prodigal son to legendary leader. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 19 Aug. 2022 McCarthy obsessives debate at length the degree to which his novel Suttree, with its descriptions of ruin from the damming of the Tennessee River, is autobiographical, a prodigal son’s rebuke of his father. Rachel Kushner, Harper’s Magazine , 20 July 2022 Seeing his mom after all these years, is an understandable desire — not that the visit goes the way this prodigal son hoped. Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 14 July 2022 Noun
He is angered by his father’s instant acceptance of the prodigal’s return. Scott Burns, Dallas News, 18 Dec. 2020 As a youth, Mr. Graham, now 65, was the prodigal of the Graham family, a college dropout fond of alcohol. Elizabeth Dias, New York Times, 27 May 2018 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Noun
Latin prodigus, from prodigere to drive away, squander, from pro-, prod- forth + agere to drive — more at pro-, agent
First Known Use
Adjective
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
1561, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing prodigal
Kids Definition
prodigal 1 of 2
adjective
prod·i·gal ˈprä-di-gəl
: carelessly wasteful
a prodigal spender
prodigal
2 of 2noun
: somebody who wastes money carelessly
prodigal 1 of 2
adjective
as in wasteful
given to spending money freely or foolishly the prodigal child always spent her allowance the minute she got it Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- wasteful
- profligate
- thriftless
- spendthrift
- extravagant
- generous
- unthrifty
- squandering
- liberal
- reckless
- lavish
- bountiful
- careless
- high-rolling
- philanthropic
- improvident
- philanthropical
- munificent
- imprudent
- bighearted
- unselfish
- openhanded
- heedless
- injudicious
- shortsighted
- charitable
- myopic
- openhearted
- indulgent
- incautious
- unstinting
- unsparing
- unwise
- self-indulgent
- wanton
- splurging
- freehanded
- freehearted
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- frugal
- thrifty
- economical
- penurious
- parsimonious
- miserly
- tightfisted
- stingy
- spare
- mean
- conserving
- wise
- sparing
- economizing
- cheap
- careful
- sensible
- niggardly
- prudent
- tight
- penny-pinching
- pinching
- close
- judicious
- closefisted
- skimping
- scrimping
- stinting
- provident
- forehanded
- forethoughtful
- farsighted
- foresighted
- foreseeing
prodigal
2 of 2noun
as in wastrel
someone who spends money freely or foolishly the million-dollar lottery winner was such a prodigal that his windfall was exhausted after only a few years Synonyms & Similar Words
- wastrel
- spendthrift
- waster
- spender
- dissipate
- squanderer
- profligate
- high roller
- fritterer
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- miser
- niggard
- economizer
- skinflint
- tightwad
- cheapskate
- scrooge
- saver
- penny-pincher
- piker
- conserver
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of prodigal are exuberant, lavish, lush, luxuriant, and profuse. While all these words mean "giving or given out in great abundance," prodigal implies reckless or wasteful lavishness threatening to lead to early exhaustion of resources.
prodigal spending
The words exuberant and prodigal can be used in similar contexts, but exuberant implies marked vitality or vigor in what produces abundantly.
an exuberant imagination
The synonyms lavish and prodigal are sometimes interchangeable, but lavish suggests an unstinted or unmeasured profusion.
a lavish party
The meanings of lush and prodigal largely overlap; however, lush suggests rich, soft luxuriance.
a lush green lawn
In some situations, the words luxuriant and prodigal are roughly equivalent. However, luxuriant suggests a rich and splendid abundance.
a luxuriant beard
Although the words profuse and prodigal have much in common, profuse implies pouring forth without restraint.
profuse apologies
- agdistisses
- age
- age and area concept
- age and area hypothesis
- age coating
- age difference
- age is catching up to one
- age limit
- age norm
- age of consent
- Age of Copper
- age of discretion
- Age of Fishes
- age of gold
- Age of Mammals
- Age of Man
- age of reason
- leghorn
- leghorns
- legibilities
- legibility
- legible
- legiblenesses
- legibler
- legiblest