wastes 1 of 2

plural of waste
1
2
as in deserts
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

3
4
as in erosions
a gradual weakening, loss, or destruction the slow waste of the once broad beach by the relentless tide

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wastes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of waste
1
2
as in destroys
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

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 wastes
Noun
Other younger-generation consumers say there’s really no advantage to using cash and complain that getting some wastes time. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 1 Nov. 2025 Upcycling solid wastes This technique provides a versatile, scalable, and efficient strategy for upcycling solid wastes into high-performance materials for environmental and energy catalysis, as per the study. Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 27 Oct. 2025 Facilities owned by companies with positive net income, according to their income statements obtained from PitchBook, a company that collects data on corporations, released an average of 40% of their toxic-chemical-containing wastes to the environment. Jennifer Brodmann, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2025 Even a short one wastes time and money as federal employees implement, and then undo, extensive plans — and there’s no indication so far that this shutdown will be short. Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 30 Sep. 2025 Its body recycles urea and other nitrogenous wastes into proteins to stave off muscle loss. Gloria Dickie, Outside, 24 Sep. 2025 Deadlines require quick action, yet acting too quickly without layered verification wastes resources. Arnold Sotelo, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 At odds with California’s climate goal of achieving zero-net carbon pollution, logging and milling wastes promptly release half a tree’s carbon into the atmosphere. John P. O’Brien, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025 Rivera-Kohr's thesis focuses on the biodegradation of wastes from plastic manufacturing and municipal sources. Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
Proposition 50 mocks California voters and wastes hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars in the process. Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 21 Oct. 2025 That clogs the judicial system, wastes limited resources, and delays justice for those with legitimate grievances. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025 Families are struggling with rising costs while City Hall wastes millions. Miami Herald Staff, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2025 On one end, the industry uses millions of tons of pollutive fibers for fashion; the other wastes millions of tons of agri-residue. Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 6 Oct. 2025 The average driver in Sacramento and its surrounding cities and suburbs wastes $1,518 and 62 hours of their life sitting in traffic each year, a new report found. Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2025 Nutrition just isn’t something Preller wastes time on. Brittany Ghiroli, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025 Spiraling into hate only wastes energy, furthers the divide, and produces greater suffering. Mark Waller, Denver Post, 26 Sep. 2025 But saying goodbye to Abbie and Rory wastes too much valuable time, and now the trio is surrounded. Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wastes
Noun
  • As a child of welfare, the luxuries of a bourgeois housewife meant zero to her.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Mamdani’s agenda—rent freezes, universal childcare, free public transit—echoes the frustrations of a city where affordability and dignity have become luxuries.
    Newsweek Contributors, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The lower deserts of Southern California could range from 3 to 4 degrees Fahrenheit above the historical averages for December through February, Pastelokknow said.
    Emilee Coblentz, Outside, 7 Nov. 2025
  • This wide range makes ACBs viable for applications previously considered infeasible for Li batteries, such as devices in deserts or polar regions.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Ships have been left stranded and vast expanses of sand are visible where water once flowed.
    Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Never mind its name, extreme temperatures, and vast expanses of desert—there are also stones that move on their own.
    Graham Averill, Outside, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Rivals Fox News Channel and CNN are seen experiencing similar erosions in that period.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 23 Feb. 2025
  • Erosive gastritis develops when inflammation damages the stomach lining, leading to ulcers (open sores) and shallow breaks (erosions).
    Lindsay Curtis, Health, 22 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Daly's parents live in rural Illinois and her mom spends a lot of time online shopping.
    Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025
  • In a new piece in this week’s issue, Antonia Hitchens spends time with Loomer and those around her.
    David Remnick, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • One such affliction is Tay-Sachs, a disease that disproportionately affects people of Ashkenazi descent and destroys brain and spinal nerve cells.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The movie follows a similar arc, with an additional subplot in which the creature destroys the city while under the influence of a powerful demon.
    Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Lee was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy at age 2, a degenerative disease that gradually weakens muscles.
    Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Unlike some of the burger chain’s peers, Cramer said McDonald’s has immense scale and strength and is making an effort to lower prices as consumer spending weakens.
    Julie Coleman, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Even in economic uncertainty, people appreciate little extravagances; something extra that shows businesses still value them.
    Dan Gingiss, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wastes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wastes. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.

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