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

Linebacker was a wasteland for the Eagles at the start of the decade. — Zach Berman, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026

Turn on any cable news network, and the national political landscape can look like a toxic wasteland, defined by vitriol, outrage, even allegations of treason. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026

When Etna’s close companion handler Jason is killed after four years in earth-scorching combat, Etna sets out to rediscover his coastal puppyhood home in an unnamed region (Yoon’s details suggest Korea) across a wasteland strewn with refugee camps. — Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026

These devices seem to share a conviction, however vague or coded, that the present is a wasteland bereft of life and color. — Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 1 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