Definition

Verb: * To waste or squander something, especially money or time, in a careless, frivolous, or unwise manner, typically on small, unimportant, or trivial things.

Usage

This verb is transitive and requires a direct object (the thing being wasted). It is often used with nouns like "money," "savings," "inheritance," "time," or "talent." It carries a strong negative connotation of irresponsible or foolish behavior.

Examples

• He frittered away his entire lottery winnings on expensive gadgets and vacations within a year.
• Don't fritter away your afternoon scrolling through social media; you have an exam to study for.
• The company's poor management frittered away the investors' confidence with a series of bad decisions.

Advanced Usage

• The phrasal verb can sometimes be separated, with the object placed between "fritter" and "away."
  • He frittered his youth away on pointless pursuits.
• It implies a gradual, piece-by-piece dissipation of resources, rather than a single large loss.

Variants and Related Words

• Fritter (verb): The base verb, less common on its own, carries the same core meaning of wasting or dissipating. It is almost always used with "away."
• Fritter (noun): A piece of food, such as fruit or meat, coated in batter and deep-fried. This is a completely separate meaning with a different etymology.

Synonyms

• Squander
• Waste
• Dissipate
• Blow (informal, as in "blow money on")
• Throw away

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Fritter away is the primary and almost exclusive phrasal verb form of "fritter." Other combinations are not standard.

Related Idioms

• To fritter something away is itself an idiomatic expression. A related concept is "money burns a hole in (someone's) pocket," which describes an urge to spend money quickly and often unwisely, which can lead to frittering it away.

Verb

1. spend frivolously and unwisely
   • Fritter away one's inheritance