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
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to weaken
to diminish the physical strength of
endless months of inactivity wasted him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in barren
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
waste acreage that was not fit for anything
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of waste
Wren Smetana, AZCentral.com, 5 Oct. 2025
Vandalism, trash and human waste will tarnish natural treasures that are the envy of the world.
—Alana Wise, NPR, 4 Oct. 2025
Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
Roseanne Barr didn’t waste any time cashing out on her slice of Hawaiian paradise.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 6 Oct. 2025
Lauren Weber, WSJ, 17 May 2021
The new anti-waste law aims to encourage buyers to repair their devices rather than replace them with new products.
—Chris Smith, BGR, 26 Feb. 2021
See All Example Sentences for waste
Noun
Morales' body likely arrived at the landfill from an outside location through loads of waste and was offloaded at the site the morning she was discovered, the medical examiner's report said.
—Wren Smetana, AZCentral.com, 5 Oct. 2025
Vandalism, trash and human waste will tarnish natural treasures that are the envy of the world.
—Alana Wise, NPR, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
The convenient kit comes with floor and roofing materials, plus nails, screws, handles, door locks, and fixings, which means less time wasted running to the hardware store.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
Roseanne Barr didn’t waste any time cashing out on her slice of Hawaiian paradise.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
For many of them, working at a high-growth company with a feel-good, anti-waste mission had felt like the pinnacle of their working lives.
—Lauren Weber, WSJ, 17 May 2021
The new anti-waste law aims to encourage buyers to repair their devices rather than replace them with new products.
—Chris Smith, BGR, 26 Feb. 2021
See All Example Sentences for waste
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waste
Noun
-
Núñez, despite his occasional wastefulness in front of goal, was a very useful option in the position and brought great energy and dynamism to the team.—
James Nalton,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
-
Arsenal’s wastefulness on the break was evident nine minutes into the game.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Those three garbage-time scores might have bought him another week.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Some Waukesha residents voice concerns The city hasn't kept its $160 garbage and tax collection proposal a secret.—
Jim Riccioli,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
And since that wild night in the desert, when the greatest closer of all time failed to deliver his team its fifth championship in six years, the Yankees have claimed a grand total of one World Series title in 24 seasons, and none since 2009.—
Ian O'Connor,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
-
As the light began to fade over the desert mountains surrounding the capital, four saxophonists played huayno music from Huancayo.—
NPR,
NPR,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
And like the wildebeest, bison dung packs a nutritional punch when deposited across the landscape.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Outside,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Decades before Colorado’s best singers, dancers and actors graced the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in downtown Denver, workers pushed brooms across the stage to clean up elephant dung, rodeo sawdust, and blood spatters from boxing matches.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The e-commerce and cloud giant will deploy electronic kiosks in One Medical primary care locations starting in December 2025 in the greater Los Angeles area, with expansions to other locations soon after, the company wrote in a press release.—
Jeff Marks,Paulina Likos,
CNBC,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Eisler led the control acquisition of the San Diego Wave for the Levine Leichtman family and Rob Cohen’s winning bid to bring an NWSL expansion team to Denver.—
Asli Pelit,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Yolo County officials are urging motorists to use caution on South River Road, a levee-top roadway that stretches from West Sacramento to the Freeport Bridge along the Sacramento River, due to shoulder erosion that has created hazardous driving conditions.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Meanwhile, a worn path and exposed rocks point to the erosion caused by intensive grazing.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But there have been signs that Kim has spent months preparing for a major parade in the capital Pyongyang, potentially at night and involving tens of thousands of people, according to the South Korean military.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
9 Oct. 2025
-
McMahon has encouraged states to ask her to waive rules on spending the money.—
Megan O’Matz,
ProPublica,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Or pursue the rancid criminal element across the galaxy as a bounty hunter, making your fortune by ruining bad guys' lives.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Nothing ruins a trip faster than your suitcase not showing up at baggage claim, right?—
Emily Belfiore,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Waste.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waste. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
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