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
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
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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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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of waste
Tara Palmeri, Vanity Fair, 12 Feb. 2026
His muscles waste, his mind dulls, his body collapses inward until only a voice remains, thin and disembodied.
—Gilberto Lopes, STAT, 12 Feb. 2026
Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Knowing when to use a space heater can make your home cozier without wasting energy.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
Washington Post, 4 Nov. 2021
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
See All Example Sentences for waste
Noun
Inside the White House, the issue is treated less like unfinished business and more like radioactive waste—something to be managed, contained, and cleared away daily.
—Tara Palmeri, Vanity Fair, 12 Feb. 2026
His muscles waste, his mind dulls, his body collapses inward until only a voice remains, thin and disembodied.
—Gilberto Lopes, STAT, 12 Feb. 2026
Verb
Zeldin emphasized the importance of identifying sustainable solutions rather than temporary fixes that waste taxpayer money.
—Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Knowing when to use a space heater can make your home cozier without wasting energy.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
But for sheer novelty in this post-waste world, few companies may top Extract Energy.
—Washington Post, 4 Nov. 2021
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
See All Example Sentences for waste
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waste
Noun
-
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
-
While an eight-game winning run saw Cherki, Foden and Haaland hit their devastating best, three frustrating draws against Sunderland, Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion were characterised by wastefulness in front of goal.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
And the magic elixir is able to turn garbage into Jan Ravnik, Swift's pinup backup dancer.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Every winter, construction machines work around the clock to clear tons of garbage — plastic, furniture, medical waste — clogging the Drina River.—
Eldar Emric,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Guthrie lives on nearly an acre, in a brown-brick, ranch-style house with an attached garage, a short gravel driveway, and desert landscaping.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Pops of yellow flowers and ribbons dot the desert neighborhood as a message of hope for the family.—
Liz Kreutz,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The streets are begrimed by factory smoke, fecund with horse dung and lit by lanterns.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
These rodents left 15 pieces of dung on top of the dishwasher.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
19 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
While political leaders on both sides of the aisle often tout the benefits of energy expansion, their support tends to fade when local considerations come into play.—
John Moritz,
Hartford Courant,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Heirs had raised $750 million from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in December to finance the expansion of its own oil producing facility to 100,000 barrels per day within five years, more than doubling the asset’s capacity when it was bought from Shell in 2021.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The erosion of physician fees by inflation has also been offset by an increase in volume.—
Chris Pope,
Washington Post,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Any future erosion would have to come overwhelmingly from one of two places.—
Craig Gilbert,
jsonline.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Harris, who spent part of his youth living on Navajo reservations where his mother was a teacher, took a Navajo Nation flag with him on the shuttle to raise awareness about issues faced by Native Americans.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The writer Michael Wolff, meanwhile — the only journalist to have written about spending extensive time with Epstein — appears in the files sharing a draft of a profile with Epstein, and thanking him for a pair of shoes.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Romero’s red card for a foul on Casemiro in the 29th minute of Tottenham’s defeat to Manchester United on Saturday ruined Frank’s game plan.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Applying baking soda to some surfaces or materials could ruin it, scratch it or lose its shine, according to the pros.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waste.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waste. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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