Definition and pronunciation
profligacy — noun: reckless waste or overindulgence; extravagant use of money, time, or resources, sometimes extended to self-indulgent or dissolute living.
Pronunciation: /ˈprɑːflɪɡəsi/ (US), /ˈprɒflɪɡəsi/ (UK).
Easy explanation
Profligacy means using far too much—spending wildly, wasting resources, or overdoing pleasure—without care for consequences.
Part of speech and grammar
- Uncountable noun: profligacy is unsustainable; accused of profligacy.
- Countable in set phrases: a profligacy of excuses/words (rare, rhetorical).
- Word family: profligate (adj./noun), profligately (adv.).
Register and tone
Formal and judgmental. It often signals criticism in journalism, policy, and history. Use with specifics when neutrality matters.
Connection to sexuality
Sometimes. Phrases like sexual profligacy appear in older or moralizing prose to mean promiscuity or indulgence. Modern neutral writing prefers precise descriptions (e.g., multiple partners, consensual non-monogamy) and centers consent and harm rather than shaming.
Common collocations
fiscal profligacy; government profligacy; profligacy with public funds; cultural profligacy; environmental profligacy; corporate profligacy; profligacy of spending/words/resources; an age of profligacy; notorious profligacy
Idioms and expressions
- rein in profligacy
- an era of profligacy
- accuse someone of profligacy
- a streak of profligacy
Prepositions and nuance
- profligacy with money/resources/time — careless use.
- profligacy in government/habits — domain of excess.
- profligacy of spending/words — quantity emphasis.
- profligacy toward/about safeguards — attitude or stance.
Word comparisons
- profligacy vs extravagance — extravagance can be showy but not reckless; profligacy implies irresponsibility and harm.
- profligacy vs wastefulness — wastefulness is plain; profligacy is stronger and moralizing.
- profligacy vs decadence — decadence suggests cultural decline and luxury; profligacy stresses reckless excess.
- profligacy vs debauchery — debauchery focuses on sensual, rowdy excess; profligacy can be financial or moral.
- profligacy vs prodigality — near-synonyms; prodigality is more literary/Biblical.
Real-life examples
- Auditors cited profligacy with public funds and demanded stricter controls.
- The biography describes the prince’s youthful profligacy followed by reform.
- Critics condemned environmental profligacy in the resort’s water use.
- Commentators warned that calling consensual behavior profligacy can blur facts about consent and safety.
Sample sentences
- The report blasted the agency for profligacy with taxpayer money.
- Years of profligacy left the club burdened with debt.
- Editorials decried fiscal profligacy during the boom years.
- The essay rejects moral labels and details actions instead, avoiding “sexual profligacy.”
- Campaign promises to curb profligacy in procurement gained traction.
Synonyms
wastefulness, extravagance, excess, dissipation, debauchery, intemperance, squandering, improvidence, lavishness, self-indulgence
Antonyms
thrift, frugality, economy, prudence, temperance, restraint, austerity, discipline, moderation
Related terms
profligate, prodigal, spendthrift, wasteful, decadent, debauched, austerity, stewardship, fiscal responsibility, sustainability, moderation, temperance
Notes and etiquette
Because profligacy is a loaded judgment, pair it with evidence: what was spent, what was wasted, who was harmed. If discussing sexual behavior, avoid stigmatizing labels and name the concrete issues (consent, honesty, safety, conflicts of interest).
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