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

One of Gary Graves’ biggest strengths as a dramatist is that nary a word feels wasteful when written by him. — Charles Lewis Iii, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2026

In a statement, Huffines pledged to cut wasteful spending, protect state tax dollars and deliver property tax relief to Texans. — Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026

Signing Matt Targett for £15m was wasteful, as was the hit taken on Wood. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026

Personalization can reduce wasteful discounting, loyalty points can lower a guest’s out-of-pocket cost, and optional extras can help owners generate incremental margin. — Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 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