wasteful

adjective

waste·​ful ˈwāst-fəl 

: given to or marked by waste : lavish, prodigal

wastefully

ˈwāst-fə-lē 

adverb

wastefulness noun

Synonyms of wasteful

• extravagant
• profligate
• generous
• spendthrift
• unthrifty
• prodigal
• reckless
• careless
• liberal

Examples of wasteful in a Sentence

a wasteful use of natural resources

a careless and wasteful person

We must eliminate wasteful expenditures.

Recent Examples on the Web

During the candidate forum, Kerfeld said the city government needs to cut down on wasteful spending. — Haley Parsley, Sacbee.com, 29 Sep. 2026

But Fazio, a state senator from Greenwich, also says Lamont and legislators have not done enough to cut wasteful spending, which then could have been redirected toward social services. — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 19 Sep. 2026

Tightening accountability, closing loopholes, and ending wasteful corporate handouts would generate revenue without raising taxes on working families. — Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Sep. 2026

The current system — in which the federal government taxes a state’s residents and then gives some of that money back to fund programs that the states already administer — is convoluted and wasteful. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for wasteful

• distasteful
• tasteful

Kids Definition

wasteful

adjective

waste·​ful ˈwāst-fəl 

: given to or marked by waste : prodigal

a wasteful use of our natural resources

wastefully

-fə-lē 

adverb

wastefulness noun