wasteland

noun

waste·​land ˈwāst-ˌland How to pronounce wasteland (audio)
 also  -lənd
1
: barren or uncultivated land
a desert wasteland
2
: an ugly often devastated or barely inhabitable place or area
3
: something (such as a way of life) that is spiritually and emotionally arid and unsatisfying

Examples of wasteland in a Sentence

The outskirts of the city became a grim industrial wasteland. That part of the country is a cultural wasteland. the vast wasteland of television
Recent Examples on the Web North Korea had already been installing landmines and barriers and creating wasteland along the heavily militarized border for months this year despite accidents, South Korea’s military said in July. Reuters, NBC News, 9 Oct. 2024 Much of Gaza has become a wasteland and my sister’s home was no exception. Ruwaida Amer, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2024 The fire left a barren wasteland and nothing on the ground, Schreiber said. Jack Dura, Twin Cities, 7 Oct. 2024 Like Lopez, Riordan sees deserts not as wastelands but as laboratories for food. Jen Murphy, Outside Online, 16 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wasteland 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wasteland.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wasteland was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near wasteland

Cite this Entry

“Wasteland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wasteland. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

wasteland

noun
waste·​land ˈwāst-ˌland How to pronounce wasteland (audio)
1
: land that is not cultivated or not fit for the cultivation of crops
2
: an ugly often ruined place or area

More from Merriam-Webster on wasteland

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