From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishprofligateprof‧li‧gate /ˈprɒfləɡət $ ˈprɑː-/ adjective formal 1 WASTE somethingwasting money or other things in a careless way SYN wasteful profligate spending the profligate use of energy resources2 BAD BEHAVIOUR OR ACTIONSbehaving in an immoral way and not caring that your behaviour is bad —profligacy noun [uncountable] —profligate noun [countable]
Examples from the Corpus
profligate• At a time when vast tracts were unsettled, it was all too easy for governments to be profligate.• In her day at the parsonage the consumption of butter and eggs was not so profligate.• The implication of this is that the more profligate councils will not be re-elected.• How can we make our use of praise discriminating and therefore meaningful, rather than profligate or ritualized?• This profligate recipe for survival is used by many animals of many kinds.• profligate spending of the taxpayer's money• Would not that be threatened only by the advent of a Labour Government, with their profligate spending plans?• Although the sources are not profligate with information, it is possible to reach a more differentiated picture.Origin profligate (1500-1600) Latin past participle of profligare “to strike down” 