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

The documentary focuses on the inhabitants of Antarctica, and captures an apparent moment of madness within a colony of Adélie penguins, who endure scathingly harsh conditions in the icy wasteland. —Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026

She's seen that the wasteland is a very difficult place, full of suffering. —Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Jan. 2026

Consider the wasteland take on Neu! —David Glickman, Pitchfork, 14 Jan. 2026

The library looked like a wasteland. —Bracey Harris, NBC news, 14 Jan. 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