Synonyms of wasteland

wasteland

noun

ˈwāst-ˌland 

as in desert

land that is uninhabited or not fit for crops

with proper irrigation and fertilizer, they turned the desert wasteland into a fertile plain

Synonyms & Similar Words

• desert
• barren
• wilderness
• desolation
• waste
• heath
• no-man's-land
• bush
• badland
• wild
• brush
• dust bowl
• open
• outdoors
• out-of-doors
• open air
• nature

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of wasteland

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

The Gwi Realm is a desolate, crimson wasteland littered with malevolent presence, so naturally there have been comparisons to that other little Netflix show called Stranger Things. — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026