French word

gaspiller

Pronunciation

IPA/gaspije/

Meaning

  • verbwaste

Example

Tu gaspilles ton temps à regarder la télévision.

You waste your time watching television.

Illustration for gaspiller (waste)

More examples

Il gaspille beaucoup d'argent en achetant des choses inutiles.

He wastes a lot of money buying useless things.

Core concept

A valuable reserve pours away through an open hole while nothing useful is gained.

Common phrases

  • gaspiller de l'argent

    waste money

  • gaspiller du temps

    waste time

Similar words

perdre: To lose time or an opportunity so that it cannot be recovered.
gâcher: To spoil food or ruin an opportunity, making it unusable or worthless.
dépenser: To use money or resources, causing the amount available to decrease.
jeter: To throw away unwanted items for disposal.

Definition in French

Employer une ressource (temps, argent, énergie) d'une façon inefficace ou sans profit, entraînant une perte inutile.

Word origin

Gaspiller comes from Old French gaspillier, used for wasting or ravaging; its deeper origin is uncertain.

Usage tips

  • Gaspiller takes a direct object, commonly with time, money, food, or energy: gaspiller son temps means to waste one's time.

Other meanings

  • squanderverb

Opposites

Related words

  • gaspillagewastenoun
  • gaspilleurwasternoun
  • gaspilléwastedadjective

Word lists with this word