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
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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
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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
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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
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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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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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3
as in to weaken
to diminish the physical strength of
endless months of inactivity wasted him
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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
Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2025
The SweetFoam midsole is made from sugarcane, which is a waste-free material.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2025
Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
This approach shifts waste from landfills into a valuable product, directly supporting a more sustainable, circular economic model.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 30 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
Funded by the Free State of Thuringia and the European Social Fund, the initiative focused on transforming lignin, a polymer found in wood and typically treated as industrial waste, into a high-performance battery material.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2025
The SweetFoam midsole is made from sugarcane, which is a waste-free material.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
Globally, more than 30 percent of food is wasted each year across the supply chain—from farms and transportation to retail and households.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
This approach shifts waste from landfills into a valuable product, directly supporting a more sustainable, circular economic model.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 30 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
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She’s also previously called out wastefulness in the music industry specifically.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
30 Oct. 2025
-
However, Bompastor’s side did little at first to shake worries about their wastefulness in front of goal.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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One officer allegedly found garbage bags inside a large freezer that were later determined to contain the remains of a female, the station reported.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Milivojevic, meanwhile, has benefited with garbage-time appearances over the last four games, putting up three touchdowns and zero interceptions in the process.—
Christian Romo,
Freep.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
When the Snowflake-Taylor police department in the high desert of Arizona conducted an active shooter drill at Snowflake High School in October 2024, students didn’t take it seriously, says police chief Bobby Martin.—
Alana Semuels,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
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The kit, which comes in four colors—matte white, desert rose, matte black, and hazy blue—comes with a chawan (bowl) with a pouring spout, a naoshi (whisk stand), a chasen (bamboo whisk), a tea tray, a stainless-steel spoon, and a sifter.—
Kate Kassin,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Rodents left dung pieces in the bun storage area (over 25); dry storage shelves (over 10); the front counter cabinet where the soda machine equipment is (over 10); and behind the air conditioning unit on the second floor (over 20).—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Or that tossed off, scrapped, relegated to the dung heap of failed work, the unconscious keeps turning and turning the deep images and obsessions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The expansion of the role of pharmacies has meant that paying cash for generic drugs and services can also be cheaper at times.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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However, the major result emerging from this research is the implication that the universe is not expanding at an accelerating rate, but has already transitioned into a state of decelerating expansion.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Despite a still-robust economy, on paper anyway, lackluster hiring is adding to Americans’ frayed nerves, as is the erosion of federal safety-net benefits.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
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Since the start of construction, neighbors on Rockland Drive have filed at least 10 complaints to the city’s 311 system for mud in the road, erosion, pothole repair and traffic-calming measures.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Han says the funds raised through the Hong Kong listing will help the robotaxi firm continue to spend on R&D and deployment.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Carter tells Rolling Stone the band approached him about joining the upcoming lineup in late September and have spent the time since working through booking and logistics.—
Josh Crutchmer,
Rolling Stone,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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That’s why his mistress threw in with Frank to intimidate Dale into a land deal that would have ruined any chance of Chutto’s family ever getting their land back.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
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Because when those premiums go up by 100, 200%, people’s lives are ruined.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Waste.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waste. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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