1
as in luxuries
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 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
as in expanses
a wide space or area
a legendary mariner doomed to sail the watery wastes of the world until Judgment Day
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
1
as in spends
to use up carelessly
he wasted his lottery winnings on booze-soaked nights with gold diggers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in weakens
to diminish the physical strength of
endless months of inactivity wasted him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wastes
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 24 May 2026
This damage impairs kidney function, preventing the proper production of urine and the elimination of metabolic wastes.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 May 2026
Netflix‘s latest action extravaganza wastes zero time in getting to the good stuff, so this review won’t either.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
This digital commute creates heat and wastes power.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 Mar. 2026
Other medications act like poison, killing kidney tubule cells, which help to filter wastes and reabsorb nutrients.
—Jyoti Madhusoodanan, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
Watering between 10 am and 4 pm wastes water; most of it evaporates before reaching roots.
—Kate McKenna, The Spruce, 5 Mar. 2026
Women and children especially turned to wastes to enrich the family diet with small game, birds, fruit, mushrooms, and nuts.
—Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
Each unsuccessful treatment takes, and wastes, precious time.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 18 Feb. 2026
David John Chávez, Mercury News, 3 June 2026
Petras wastes no time arguing this case for herself.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 June 2026
How the ‘system’ plays In 1958, working-class voters and Democrats were within 5 points of each other on whether government wastes a lot of tax money.
—Nicholas Jacobs, The Conversation, 2 June 2026
Noting that many vanities have a false drawer front at the top, which wastes space, Ecklund recommends rethinking it.
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 27 May 2026
But police say the game wastes resources and could have severe unintended consequences.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2026
The script, credited to new collaborator Simon Lyashenko and Zvyagintsev and adapted freely from Chabrol’s 1969 thriller, wastes nothing, not even a throwaway comment at a restaurant dinner that Gleb and Galina attend about the last time Gleb cleaned his own house.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026
Fix the part that wastes the most energy first.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2026
Dutton Ranch wastes no time testing Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser).
—Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
Noun
Depending on soil temperature and moisture, the number of microorganisms in the soil, and the carbon content of the wastes, decomposition will occur in one month to one year to feed plant root systems.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 24 May 2026
This damage impairs kidney function, preventing the proper production of urine and the elimination of metabolic wastes.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 May 2026
Netflix‘s latest action extravaganza wastes zero time in getting to the good stuff, so this review won’t either.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
This digital commute creates heat and wastes power.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 Mar. 2026
Other medications act like poison, killing kidney tubule cells, which help to filter wastes and reabsorb nutrients.
—Jyoti Madhusoodanan, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
Watering between 10 am and 4 pm wastes water; most of it evaporates before reaching roots.
—Kate McKenna, The Spruce, 5 Mar. 2026
Women and children especially turned to wastes to enrich the family diet with small game, birds, fruit, mushrooms, and nuts.
—Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
Each unsuccessful treatment takes, and wastes, precious time.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
Justin Stasiw’s soundscape wastes no time throwing the audience into Mumbai, where vehicles, whistles and rickshaws harshly yet thrillingly enter the ears.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 3 June 2026
Petras wastes no time arguing this case for herself.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 June 2026
How the ‘system’ plays In 1958, working-class voters and Democrats were within 5 points of each other on whether government wastes a lot of tax money.
—Nicholas Jacobs, The Conversation, 2 June 2026
Noting that many vanities have a false drawer front at the top, which wastes space, Ecklund recommends rethinking it.
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 27 May 2026
But police say the game wastes resources and could have severe unintended consequences.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2026
The script, credited to new collaborator Simon Lyashenko and Zvyagintsev and adapted freely from Chabrol’s 1969 thriller, wastes nothing, not even a throwaway comment at a restaurant dinner that Gleb and Galina attend about the last time Gleb cleaned his own house.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026
Fix the part that wastes the most energy first.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2026
Dutton Ranch wastes no time testing Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser).
—Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wastes
Noun
-
This includes square footage of housing as well as amenities that are once viewed as luxuries but are now seen as necessities, such as dishwashers and air-conditioning.—
Allison Schrager,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
-
Keep scrolling for my recommendations for a supportive neck pillow, a spacious carry-on backpack, must-have compression socks, and little luxuries that make a big difference at 32,000 feet.—
Chantelle Kincy,
Travel + Leisure,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
The kingdom last month raised production rebates to as much as 60% — among the most generous in the world — to attract filmmakers to its coastlines, deserts, mountains, and rapidly transforming cities.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
2 June 2026
-
Whilst some of the winners photographed high alpine peaks and arid deserts, others focused on scenes of daily life.—
Sam Peters,
CNN Money,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
The architects varied the floor planes and ceiling heights inside to help define spaces in lieu of walls, maintaining views of the panorama through expanses of floor-to-ceiling glass shaded by broad hemlock eaves.—
Fred Albert,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
Those hilly expanses hold a lot of amenities, including a ski hill and golf courses.—
Katy Spratte Joyce,
Travel + Leisure,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
He’s known for building intentional cracks and erosions into his works, which often reveal an interior geology of materials like crystals or gears, and more recently, labyrinth staircases populated with small figures, not unlike a surreal antique dollhouse.—
Kristen Tauer,
Footwear News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
These erosions leak into other areas of law.—
Emily Galvin Almanza,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Set a budget The average American spends a whopping $168 per date, according to a 2025 survey from BMO.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
6 June 2026
-
The bitters combine with the hogo to create an entirely new drink, one that’s deeper and richer and honestly weirder, a drink that’s still sunshine-caliber refreshing but whose soul spends half the year in the underworld.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Young people must understand clearly that violence destroys not only victims, but entire families and communities.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
1 June 2026
-
But Bogan told the outlet those assurances fall short if construction bulldozes the critical turtle habitat, compromises the manmade earthen dam that holds the springs' pond, or destroys the mesquite thicket downstream where turtles shelter in winter.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Subtract what weakens the system.—
Nilton Bernini,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
-
Teams evolve at different speeds, innovation concentrates among a small subset of employees, and trust across the organization weakens.—
Matt Rosenbaum,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
And as in those days, extravagances like butler service and delicacies like caviar, lobster, and seafood towers are at the ready.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Still, Stroheim’s spending was out of control—literally so, insofar as attempting to rein him in seemed to provoke new extravagances.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
17 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wastes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wastes. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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