Definition of wastelandnext
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

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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 wasteland The region had a reputation as mostly a dreary post-industrial wasteland peppered with factories that had started being abandoned after the Flood of 1955. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 20 Sep. 2026 The book imagines a dystopian American wasteland where pregnant women are surveilled and controlled. — Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026 The film also contains allegations that Israel is systematically destroying homes in Gaza to create a wasteland that will prevent Palestinians from ever returning. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026 They have been spared the fate of the surrounding Shia Muslim villages that now resemble a wasteland. — Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wasteland
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wasteland
desert
Noun
  • Algiers to Djanet—a little oasis town in Algeria’s southeast near the Libya and Niger borders—is a two-hour flight, usually scheduled in the middle of the night (to avoid desert winds during the day, so I was told).
    — Heather Richardson, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Tozeur is the main base for visiting Mos Espa, Ong Jemel and Jebel Sidi Bouhlel, with local operators offering half-day and full-day 4x4 excursions into the desert.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 3 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wasteland.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wasteland. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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