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GRE vocabulary

prodigal

adjectiveHigh-frequency wordMore P words

wastefully extravagant with money or resources

Word origin: From Latin prodigere, to drive forth or squander.

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In a sentence

Prodigal in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing prodigal in a sentence.

His prodigal spending soon exhausted the family fortune.

His prodigal spending on equipment exhausted the grant within a single semester.

Antonyms
frugalthriftyeconomical

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Verbal · Sentence Equivalence

Because the evidence linking the additive to the illness remained blank, regulators declined to issue a ban and instead called for further study.

Select the two answers that give the sentence the same meaning. 0 of 2 selected.

Usage & nuance

Using “prodigal” well

Prodigal means recklessly wasteful, not, as some assume, simply wandering or returning. Do not confuse it with prodigious, which means enormous.

Common questions

Questions about “prodigal”

Prodigal (adjective) means wastefully extravagant with money or resources
Here is prodigal used in an example sentence: "His prodigal spending soon exhausted the family fortune." Another example: "His prodigal spending on equipment exhausted the grant within a single semester."
Common synonyms for prodigal include wasteful, extravagant, profligate, spendthrift.
Antonyms of prodigal include frugal, thrifty, economical.
On the GRE, prodigal clusters with wasteful, extravagant, profligate, and spendthrift, opposing frugal, thrifty, and economical.
Yes. Prodigal is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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