wastewater

noun

waste·​wa·​ter ˈwāst-ˌwȯ-tər 

-ˌwä-

: water that has been used (as in a manufacturing process) : sewage

Examples of wastewater in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Since the December flu spike declined, some readings from wastewater sites have shown small comebacks. —William Tong, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026

As a result, sewage blockages and overflows became widespread, increasing the risk of wastewater contaminating drinking water sources and heightening the likelihood of outbreaks of diarrhea, hepatitis A and other waterborne diseases in an already vulnerable community. —Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026

About half of the county’s expenditure will help pay for tiny homes for the site and improvements such as wastewater treatment, parking, paths, decks and fencing. —Richard Halstead, Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2026

Streets and Sanitation Superintendent Randy Reeder updated the commission on the compost site near the wastewater treatment plant. —Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 25 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for wastewater

• annunciator
• imprimatur
• underwater
• backwater
• bathwater
• blackwater
• breakwater
• deepwater
• edgewater
• feedwater
• floodwater
• freshwater