Which word means recklessly wasteful?

The term that means recklessly wasteful is "profligate." This word describes a person or their behavior that is characterized by spending resources, ideas, or energy extravagantly and irresponsibly, without consideration for the consequences. In contexts such as personal finance or resource management, a profligate approach indicates a lack of prudence and foresight, often leading to depletion of resources or financial instability.

While "prodigal" also conveys a sense of wastefulness, it has a more nuanced meaning often associated with lavish spending or squandering, typically paired with a sense of eventual return or redemption, as illustrated by the biblical parable of the Prodigal Son. "Pretentious" refers to an attempt to impress by affecting greater importance or merit than is actually possessed, while "problematic" denotes something that poses a problem or difficulty. Neither of these terms encapsulates the idea of reckless wastefulness in the way that "profligate" does.