What does profligately mean?
Profligately means in a reckless, immoral, or extravagantly wasteful manner. It is used to describe conduct that disregards moderation, responsibility, or the likely consequences of one’s actions. Its most common application is to spending money on pleasure, luxury, or indulgence, as in a description of profligate living. The word can also characterize behaviour that is scandalously excessive or dissolute, including drunkenness, promiscuity, or other forms of unrestrained conduct. Its strong disapproval distinguishes it from more neutral terms such as extravagantly: to spend profligately implies both wastefulness and a lack of self-control. Because of this critical connotation, profligately is especially appropriate in formal reporting, historical description, and strongly worded moral commentary. In less serious contexts, it may be used hyperbolically to describe spectacular or indiscriminate spending.
adverbIn a reckless, immoral, or excessively wasteful manner.
- In a reckless, immoral, or excessively wasteful manner.
"The inheritance was spent profligately on parties and luxury travel."
"The company squandered its resources profligately while its competitors invested carefully."
"He lived profligately for years before his finances and health suffered."
Its Latin roots evoke something being cast down or routed, an apt metaphor for a person overwhelmed by dissipation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does profligately come from?
The adverb was formed in the 19th century from profligate, which entered English from Latin profligātus, a past participle of profligāre, meaning to cast down, rout, or defeat. The same Latin verb was associated with exhausting or ruining an enemy. Profligacy and profligate therefore share the same ancient Latin root, although their English forms developed through different grammatical pathways.
How profligately is actually used
The word is strongly critical in tone and is especially associated with extravagant spending, dissipation, or disregard for moral or social restraint.
Easily confused with profligately
Profligately describes reckless or excessive behaviour, whereas prolific means producing a large amount of something.