verb
vergeuden
waste
Definition & meaning
vergeuden means to waste or squander something valuable by using it carelessly or ineffectively. It is commonly used for time, money, energy, opportunities, or talent.
It can suggest especially careless or excessive use: someone who vergeudet something fails to put it to good use.
Grammar & word origin
- Part of speech: verb
- Infinitive: vergeuden
- Present: ich vergeude
- Simple past: ich vergeudete
- Past participle: vergeudet
- Auxiliary verb: haben
- It takes a direct object, typically in the accusative: Geld vergeuden (“to waste money”).
The verb has the inseparable prefix ver-. The base geuden is no longer used independently in standard German, so the verb is generally learned as a whole.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- verschwenden — the closest general synonym; means to waste or use something unnecessarily.
- verschleudern — emphasizes giving away or spending something valuable carelessly, often at too low a price.
- verprassen — usually means to spend money lavishly, often on luxuries.
- verplempern — informal; means to fritter away or waste, often time or money.
- vertun — often used for wasting time or an opportunity; generally less forceful than vergeuden.
Antonyms:
- sparen — to save or use something sparingly, especially money or resources.
- nutzen — to make use of something; unlike vergeuden, it does not imply careless use.
- sinnvoll einsetzen — to put something to good or purposeful use.
Common phrases & collocations
Make “vergeuden” part of your vocabulary.
Build your German vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.
Examples
Wir dürfen keine Ressourcen vergeuden.verb
We must not waste resources.
Keep exploring German
Learn words from the content you love.
Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).
Scan for iPhone & iPad