wasteful

adjective

waste·​ful ˈwāst-fəl How to pronounce wasteful (audio)
: given to or marked by waste : lavish, prodigal
wastefully adverb
wastefulness noun

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 Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful? Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 20 Oct. 2024 Tax credits are also quite wasteful, as many reward activities that already happened or were going to happen with or without the incentive. Veronique De Rugy, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2024 Decorating for different seasons can be intimidating and feel wasteful if the decor is only appropriate for a certain time of year. Kelsey Fredricks, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Oct. 2024 Elon Musk has floated the idea of a government efficiency commission aimed at addressing wasteful spending and regulations in Washington. James Broughel, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wasteful 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wasteful.' 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 above

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

Dictionary Entries Near wasteful

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

wasteful

adjective
waste·​ful ˈwāst-fəl How to pronounce wasteful (audio)
: given to or marked by waste : prodigal
a wasteful use of our natural resources
wastefully adverb
wastefulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on wasteful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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