WASTING Synonyms: 304 Similar and Opposite Words

wasting 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of wasting

as in wasteful

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Dissimilar Words

wasting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of waste

as in spending

to use up carelessly he wasted his lottery winnings on booze-soaked nights with gold diggers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in destroying

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

as in weakening

to diminish the physical strength of endless months of inactivity wasted him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 wasting

Verb

Arnd Wiegmann | Reuters Novartis shares tanked on Tuesday after the pharmaceutical giant said its del-desiran drug for muscle-wasting disorder failed in a late-stage trial. — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2026 At 83, and contending with myosotis, a muscle-wasting condition that kept him from his own Telluride premiere, Leigh has said this is most likely his last film. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026 Pests and diseases destroy up to 40 percent of global crop production each year, pushing down rural incomes, driving up consumer prices, and wasting natural resources. — Anna Nelson, Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2026 Save the Last Dance star Julia Stiles and pro dancer Ezra Sosa aren’t wasting any time ahead of their ballroom debut. — Sarah Hearon, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2026 As Mars and Saturn clash, avoid wasting your energy trying to fight FOMO! — Usa Today, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 The Dodgers dropped another one-run heartbreaker in Detroit, wasting Blake Snell’s five innings of one-run baseball as the Tigers walked off with a 2-1 win. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026 School uniforms can avoid many of these issues, keeping kids in the classroom rather than the front office and preventing staff from wasting time trying to enforce commonly problematic policies. — Amy Morin, Parents, 27 Aug. 2026 After scoring the game’s first run in the top of the 10th, the Angels gave up two with two outs in the bottom of the inning, losing to the Texas Rangers, 2-1, on Friday night, once again wasting a scoreless start from Reid Detmers. — Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 22 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wasting

Adjective

The new rules aim to minimize the use of wasteful packaging as the economy transitions to become more circular.

— Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
While many cyclists like to alternate between sipping water and energy gel, doing so can be an awkward, messy and wasteful process.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of wasteful

Verb

Robert Saleh arrives in Tennessee after spending 2025 as defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, returning to a head-coaching role after nearly four seasons leading the New York Jets.

— Jenny Catlin, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Meeting Kimberly Schlapman at Samford University, singing together in choir, and spending college summers performing in North Carolina.

— Sid Evans, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of spending

Verb

Rising operational and financing costs, weakening global demand and shifting trade dynamics ultimately led the board of directors to discontinue operations, the company said.

— Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 11 Sep. 2026
An effective Houthi blockade of Bab al-Mandeb would open a new front in the war with Iran and could require US military intervention, potentially weakening Washington’s ability to keep ships moving through Hormuz.

— Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of weakening

Adjective

Bournemouth were profligate, despite scoring through Marcus Tavernier and forcing a Malick Thiaw own goal, with multiple first-half chances wasted.

— Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
This shift occasioned the profligate production that would mark her oeuvre, with Kusama going on to make hundreds of paintings in which forests of lines and dots cradled variously floral and phallic figures.

— News Desk, Artforum, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of profligate

Verb

But at this point, many SEC administrators would rather find out by getting a win or by losing and then moving forward with that knowledge.

— Seth Emerson, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
The tropical cyclone reached Category 5, defined by sustained winds of 157 mph or greater, overnight Friday before losing some of its steam and settling into Category 4’s limits of sustained winds of 130 to 156 mph by Saturday.

— Dennis Romero, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of losing

Verb

Museum putty or wax can help keep pieces in place without ruining either the tray or your collectibles.

— Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2026
As fishermen wrestled their catches out of flimsy fiberglass boats near a makeshift shoreside market recently, several stopped to talk with CNN, complaining that the war is ruining business.

— Nic Robertson, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026