wasteland

noun

waste·​land ˈwāst-ˌland 

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

Synonyms of wasteland

• desert
• barren

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

The book imagines a dystopian American wasteland where pregnant women are surveilled and controlled. — Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

The film also contains allegations that Israel is systematically destroying homes in Gaza to create a wasteland that will prevent Palestinians from ever returning. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026

They have been spared the fate of the surrounding Shia Muslim villages that now resemble a wasteland. — Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026

The neighborhood was a cultural wasteland at the time, but a crop of new gallery openings hinted at potential. — Derek C. Blasberg, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for wasteland

• ampersand
• beforehand
• behindhand
• bottomland
• contraband
• countermand
• dixieland
• fairyland
• fatherland
• firebrand
• hinterland
• motherland

Kids Definition

wasteland

noun

waste·​land ˈwāst-ˌland 

1

: land that is not cultivated or not fit for the cultivation of crops

2

: an ugly often ruined place or area