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
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of waste
Lauren O'Connor, Health, 9 Nov. 2025
Castor containers for high-level radioactive waste.
—Bob Woods, CNBC, 9 Nov. 2025
Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
The California Republican Party, which was supposed to serve as the No side’s get-out-the-vote force, has been accused of wasting millions of dollars on a mail program.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 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
Eating beet greens can reduce waste and add a nutritional boost to your meals.
—Lauren O'Connor, Health, 9 Nov. 2025
Castor containers for high-level radioactive waste.
—Bob Woods, CNBC, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
Nikki Glaser is the guest host of Saturday Night Live this week and did not waste any time roasting her co-stars.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
The California Republican Party, which was supposed to serve as the No side’s get-out-the-vote force, has been accused of wasting millions of dollars on a mail program.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 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
-
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
-
The burger was never refrigerated and spent most of its life in cupboards, garbage bags and sheds.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Beijing — When Ho Puay-peng first visited Beijing’s Forbidden City in the late 1980s, the Singaporean architect saw many of the historic courtyards used for storage, filled with garbage, and occupied by danwei (government offices).—
Fred He,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
And the movie, with these two sexy people sparring for about 10 minutes, only to settle their differences over whiskey before a roaring fire in a snowbound cabin that looks like a vacation hideaway, has an unironic romance-novel baby-it’s-cold-outside vibe of old-school desert-island love.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
-
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
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
-
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
-
Chestnut trees hold soil, resist erosion, and absorb carbon from the atmosphere.—
Todd Plummer,
Vogue,
11 Nov. 2025
-
The Bengals trimmed a 22-point deficit to 12 midway through the second half, compelling Dutcher, who is famously stingy with them, to call timeout to prevent further erosion.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
11 Nov. 2025
-
So, no, women didn’t ruin the workplace.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Waste.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waste. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share