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
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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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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
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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
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Recent Examples of waste
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2025
Tim Seymour of Seymour Asset Management, who was also on the show, pointed out that though the waste management business is a solid one, at its current valuation of 34 times forward earnings, Republic has become expensive relative to the market.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2025
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2025
The Ravens’ offensive line was making clear lanes at the line of scrimmage, and the bruising back didn’t waste them.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Chris Smith, BGR, 26 Feb. 2021
To boost that percentage, France passed an anti-waste bill last year mandating that electronics manufacturers make a repairability index visible on their products.
—Maddie Stone, Wired, 20 Feb. 2021
See All Example Sentences for waste
Noun
Reducing waste Oklo and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) are considering a partnership where Oklo would recycle TVA’s used nuclear fuel.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2025
Tim Seymour of Seymour Asset Management, who was also on the show, pointed out that though the waste management business is a solid one, at its current valuation of 34 times forward earnings, Republic has become expensive relative to the market.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
Don’t let your hard work go to waste.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2025
The Ravens’ offensive line was making clear lanes at the line of scrimmage, and the bruising back didn’t waste them.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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
To boost that percentage, France passed an anti-waste bill last year mandating that electronics manufacturers make a repairability index visible on their products.
—Maddie Stone, Wired, 20 Feb. 2021
See All Example Sentences for waste
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waste
Noun
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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
-
People were calling it tacky, brave, MFA garbage, heart wrenching.—
Sarah Adler
September 8,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The character of Robbie, a garbage collector- turned-criminal, came to you through a suggestion from someone.—
Antonia Blyth,
Deadline,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Husband Jeff, meanwhile, stuck to his own formula of chinos, polos, and brown desert boots.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Deadline’s deep dive on Desert Warrior last October revealed how the film encountered issues after its grueling 2021 shoot in the Saudi desert.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
12 Sep. 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 expansion will also include more language support, with plans to increase access to consulting and capital assistance in Spanish and Marshallese, according to an organization news release.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Sacred Heart Schools announced a sweeping expansion to the Sacred Heart Academy campus focused on improving student facilities, expanding endowments to support scholarships and strengthening the school's annual fund.—
Ray Padilla,
The Courier-Journal,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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That erosion of belonging can undermine both trust and innovation.—
Matthew C. Meade,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Said to be the largest limestone arch in North America, the 215-foot-tall formation was created by erosion.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Ford dropped it from the Explorer’s retail lineup, but continues to offer it in police vehicles, which benefit from its ability to power AC and other accessories without running the engine when parked, as patrol vehicles often spend lots of time doing.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
California’s legal fight to get those funds back–which hadn’t been spent–will take months if not years to resolve.—
Alan Ohnsman,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Our family has been ruined by Denise's lies of promising to end a year-long affair.—
Stephanie Wenger,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Waste.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waste. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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