prodigally

IPA/ˈprɒd.ɪ.ɡəl.i/
IPA/ˈprɑː.dɪ.ɡəl.i/

prodigally — adverb

1. in a way that uses or spends money, time, or other resources too freely, resulti

1.副詞C1
釋義

in a way that uses or spends money, time, or other resources too freely, resulting in waste or excess that is not sensible

例句

After receiving his inheritance, Piotr prodigally bought two sports cars and a yacht.

prodigally + bought [expensive items]

Tara looked back on her twenties and realised how prodigally she had spent her savings.

prodigally spent [resource] — past reflection

同義詞
  • wastefully

    the closest synonym; less formal and more common in everyday speech

  • extravagantly

    emphasises spending beyond what is reasonable; slightly more common than prodigally

  • lavishly

    can be neutral or even positive when describing generous gifts, unlike the negative tone of prodigally

反義詞
  • frugally

    using very little; the opposite of wasteful spending

  • sparingly

    using only small amounts; careful and economical

文法句型

prodigally + verb

用法筆記

This sense carries a negative judgment — the spending, use, or consumption is seen as excessive and unwise. Often used when reflecting on past behaviour with regret.

常見錯誤

❌The garden was prodigally planted with flowers.' (when meaning 'abundantly').
✅The garden was abundantly planted with flowers.
💡sense 1 implies wasteful excess; use sense 2 for neutral abundance.

2. in large amounts or to a great degree; very plentifully, especially of something

2.副詞C1
釋義

in large amounts or to a great degree; very plentifully, especially of something desirable or impressive

例句

The garden was prodigally planted with roses, lavender, and climbing jasmine.

be prodigally planted with [plants] — passive construction

It is a handsomely produced and prodigally illustrated book.

prodigally illustrated — modifying a past participle

同義詞
  • abundantly

    the closest neutral synonym; more common and less formal than prodigally

  • copiously

    emphasises very large quantity; often used of writing or evidence

  • profusely

    suggests flowing freely in great quantity; common with sweat, apologies, or decoration

反義詞
  • sparsely

    thinly scattered; the opposite of abundance

  • meagrely

    in a way that is too small in amount

文法句型

prodigally + verb

prodigally + adjective

用法筆記

This sense is neutral or positive — it describes abundance without the negative judgment of sense 1. Common with verbs of decoration, provision, or creation such as 'illustrate', 'plant', 'endow', and 'decorate'.