Synonyms of wasteland

wasteland

noun

ˈwāst-ˌland 

as in desert

land that is uninhabited or not fit for crops

with proper irrigation and fertilizer, they turned the desert wasteland into a fertile plain

Synonyms & Similar Words

• desert
• barren
• wilderness
• desolation
• waste
• heath
• no-man's-land
• bush
• badland
• wild
• brush
• dust bowl
• open
• outdoors
• out-of-doors
• open air
• nature

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of wasteland

The neighborhood was a cultural wasteland at the time, but a crop of new gallery openings hinted at potential. — Derek C. Blasberg, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026

Supposedly posing a threat to their idyll on the outskirts are various marauding splinter groups running amok through the barren wasteland of the American Mountain West. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2026

The 2015 action film, set in a post-apocalyptic desert wasteland, stars Theron as warrior Imperator Furiosa, who leads the daring escape of female prisoners from a tyrannical ruler. — Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 23 Aug. 2026

Linebacker was a wasteland for the Eagles at the start of the decade. — Zach Berman, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026