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

Throwing the other half away is wasteful, and trying to find an immediate taker for it would be tedious. — Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2026

Perhaps because these gatherings require so much forethought, spending the entire evening in a single establishment feels wasteful. — Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 11 July 2026

Air conditioning — long viewed as a wasteful luxury in northern European homes — is increasingly seen as a necessity. — Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 10 July 2026

South Africa’s Treasury has withheld budget allocations for Johannesburg and dozens of other municipalities, in a crackdown on allegedly wasteful spending just months before local government elections. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 8 July 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