1
as in wastefulness
an instance of spending money or resources without care or restraint
it seems like a waste to spend my entire paycheck on a bigger TV
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in garbage
discarded or useless material
gathered up the waste when he was finished sewing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in desert
land that is uninhabited or not fit for crops
an area that was a barren waste after the strip-mining had ended
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in dung
solid matter discharged from an animal's alimentary canal
a local ordinance requiring dog owners to properly dispose of their pet's waste
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in expansion
a wide space or area
a legendary mariner doomed to sail the watery wastes of the world until Judgment Day
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in erosion
a gradual weakening, loss, or destruction
the slow waste of the once broad beach by the relentless tide
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to spend
to use up carelessly
he wasted his lottery winnings on booze-soaked nights with gold diggers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to ruin
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
one country attempting to waste another
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to weaken
to diminish the physical strength of
endless months of inactivity wasted him
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in barren
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
waste acreage that was not fit for anything
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of waste
Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 29 May 2026
The city attorney oversees legal matters involving the city, while the controller monitors spending, conducts audits, investigates fraud, waste and abuse.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 29 May 2026
Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026
Brands diving in without a plan can end up wasting time, budget, or worse, credibility.
—Wyles Daniel
june 4, Idaho Statesman, 4 June 2026
Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 1 Oct. 2025
In France, anti-waste laws require that most building waste is collected and processed.
—Troy Aidan Sambajon, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for waste
Noun
Physical exercise may also improve blood circulation, expedite nutrient transport, and aid waste elimination to collectively maintain an active self-healing system.
—Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 29 May 2026
The city attorney oversees legal matters involving the city, while the controller monitors spending, conducts audits, investigates fraud, waste and abuse.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 29 May 2026
Verb
The legendary musician opened up about living with inclusion body myositis (IBM), which, according to Johns Hopkins, is an inflammatory muscle-wasting disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness.
—Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026
Brands diving in without a plan can end up wasting time, budget, or worse, credibility.
—Wyles Daniel
june 4, Idaho Statesman, 4 June 2026
Adjective
Local laws and supplier audits The OECD has called on Shein to publish further public information about its compliance with France’s anti-waste law (AGEC), which aims to move businesses toward greater circularity.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 1 Oct. 2025
In France, anti-waste laws require that most building waste is collected and processed.
—Troy Aidan Sambajon, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for waste
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waste
Noun
-
Sure enough, Spurs’ wastefulness was punished.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
-
Gabriel also acknowledged lawmakers’ responsibility to oversee state spending seriously as well, and would be scrutinizing government programs for wastefulness.—
Andrew Graham,
Sacbee.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Veterans’ centers, summer camps, boat launches and garbage pickup could all be impacted.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
6 June 2026
-
Any clothes or other materials used to dispose of the broken toy should be put in a separate garbage bag and thrown away as well.—
Parents,
Parents,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Passengers are treated to rare desert vistas that aren’t visible from surrounding interstates as the train glides by vast ranches, undulating mountains, and scenic pueblos.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
Photos and a video Aiello provided show bladed wire snaking around the decomposing animal’s neck and curved horns, as well as the front legs, in a desert landscape dotted with boulders.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
To help the herd accept the calf after his time away, rescuers coated him in fresh elephant dung to mask any unfamiliar scents.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
22 May 2026
-
Release of dung increases soil organic carbon and helps build soil structure that improves water filtration and soil aeration.—
Paige Stein,
Hartford Courant,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Meanwhile, many museums are in serious financial straits, reckoning with the fiscal burden of optimistic expansions and unanticipated increases in operating costs.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
Much of the space created in the 2013 expansion of the top two stories was devoted to wellness facilities (including a decent-sized pool, a rarity in Geneva hotels).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Nearly half of that erosion occurred between March and April alone.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
2 June 2026
-
If the erosion is structural, the fix has to be structural too.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
But despite securing a conviction, investigators spent decades trying to determine the identity of the teenage victim.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2026
-
Specifically, Hanold noted that $152 million spent by Permian equates to almost one quarter of drilling, based on this year's pace.—
TipRanks.com Staff,
CNBC,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
Years earlier, in 2001, the undercover detective involved claimed her career had been ruined by the case, and received around $166,000 in an out-of-court settlement, per the BBC.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
7 June 2026
-
Think about it the next time a presidential rant ruins your coffee.—
Steven Andreasen,
Twin Cities,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waste.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waste. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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