Burned daylight is a common idiom used to describe wasting time or squandering opportunities. There are several synonyms for this phrase, including "frittered away," "squandered," "misspent," "wasted," and "lost." Each of these words carries a slightly different connotation but all refer to the idea of using time in an unproductive or unfulfilling manner. Other terms that can be used to convey the same message include "blown," "thrown away," "fiddled around," and "killed time." The key takeaway is that time is a valuable resource that should be used wisely, and phrases like "burned daylight" serve as a reminder of this fact.