The outskirts of the city became a grim industrial wasteland.
That part of the country is a cultural wasteland.
the vast wasteland of television
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wasteland.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
14th century
: land where nothing can grow or be built : land that is not usable
: an ugly and often ruined place or area
: something that is being compared to a large, empty area of land because it has no real value or interest
See words that rhyme with wasteland Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for wasteland Spanish Central: Translation of wasteland Nglish: Translation of wasteland for Spanish speakers
What made you want to look up wasteland? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!
Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
TAKE THE QUIZTest Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Writing? Check your grammar now!