WASTEFUL Synonyms: 71 Similar and Opposite Words

wasteful

adjective

ˈwāst-fəl

Definition of wasteful

as in extravagant

given to spending money freely or foolishly my one wasteful child always seemed to run out of money by midweek

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 wasteful Many of us grew up believing that running the dishwasher was wasteful, in terms of both electricity and water. — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 July 2026 Throwing the other half away is wasteful, and trying to find an immediate taker for it would be tedious. — Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2026 Perhaps because these gatherings require so much forethought, spending the entire evening in a single establishment feels wasteful. — Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 11 July 2026 Air conditioning — long viewed as a wasteful luxury in northern European homes — is increasingly seen as a necessity. — Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for wasteful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wasteful

Adjective

The company has deals with many studios as well, as filmmakers try to generate more extravagant shots at lower costs.

— Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 4 Aug. 2026
The era is remembered as a golden age of prosperity, paired with a thriving art and culture scene—Toulouse-Lautrec posters, the Eiffel Tower (built in 1889), extravagant fashion, the Moulin Rouge, and the flourishing Impressionist art world.

— R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of extravagant

Adjective

Just as life in industrial urban centers in the nineteenth century caused hardship in rural villages, the profligate lifestyles enjoyed by those of us in the Global North are underwritten by the immiseration of those in the Global South.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
Avoid the impulse to label someone as cheap or profligate after one or two dates, AARP advises.

— Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 6 June 2026

Definition of profligate

Adjective

Ted is a little surprised but not really, and a little unsure of how to respond to her generous offer.

— Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2026
The concierge will arrange special tours and experiences; the hotel's generous public spaces are ideal for weddings and events.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of generous

Adjective

In many states, including Maryland, debtors may exempt substantial assets from bankruptcy, including retirement accounts, spendthrift trusts and substantial equity in real estate (unlimited in Texas).

— George Liebmann, Baltimore Sun, 11 Apr. 2026
The bottom line was that the Trust was not a spendthrift trust under Illinois law.

— Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2026

Definition of spendthrift

Adjective

There’s nothing more inspiring — and dangerous — than the prodigal son hired to fix his old team.

— Chris Branch, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
That adjustment aside, there’s nothing conceptually very original to this tale of a prodigal son returning to find his cranky old ma requiring rescue from both organized crime and a police raid.

— Dennis Harvey, Variety, 26 July 2026

Definition of prodigal

Adjective

He was charged with reckless endangerment, graffiti, public lewdness, criminal trespass and disorderly conduct, the NYPD said, according to NBC News.

— Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
The unlicensed doctor who runs the clinic, Luis Rojas Cabrera, was arrested for practicing without a license and reckless endangerment.

— Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of reckless

Adjective

Jaynes pleaded not guilty Monday to a felony count of leaving the scene of an accident causing property damage of more than $10,000 and a traffic violation of careless and prohibited driving.

— Grant Lancaster, Arkansas Online, 29 July 2026
Myers, however, threw a careless hit that concussed Matty Beniers during his rookie campaign, and Kraken fans have long remembered that sequence.

— Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 25 July 2026

Definition of careless

Adjective

Sarah Miller, a software engineer from the liberal stronghold of Madison, has heard all of the chatter about a civil war in the Democratic Party between progressives and moderates.

— ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
As the conservative foil to liberal do-gooder Sandy, his wife Kirsten Cohen (played by Kelly Rowan) was a better representation of the upper-crust Newport Beach population in many ways.

— Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Aug. 2026