wasting 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of wastingnext
as in wasteful

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wasting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of waste
1
as in spending
to use up carelessly he wasted his lottery winnings on booze-soaked nights with gold diggers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in destroying
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of one country attempting to waste another

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in weakening
to diminish the physical strength of endless months of inactivity wasted him

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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 wasting
Verb
The truth of the matter is, both of these fanbases are wasting their breath. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026 This is a crucial insight to have before wasting time and money. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026 This allows massive electrical currents to flow through small coils without wasting energy as heat. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026 Even after 25 years, Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro’s series about an anthropomorphic milkshake, french fry container, and a wad of meat wasting their days in suburban New Jersey remains one of Adult Swim’s most recognizable properties. — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wasting
  1. wasteful
  2. spending
  3. destroying
  4. weakening
  5. profligate
  6. losing
  7. ruining
  8. softening
Adjective
  • Supporters say the measure aims to cut wasteful government spending by requiring audits for new state special taxes.
    — Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Congressional Republicans got rid of the EV tax credit last year after long arguing that markets, not the government, should influence what Americans drive, and dubbed the tax credit wasteful spending.
    — Willa Rubin, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of wasteful
Verb
  • In the employer market, more recent data suggest the volumes of prescriptions — which are proprietary — are driving up spending more than prices, although prices are still a factor.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Born and raised in Flushing, Queens, to a Chinese family, Liu developed an early interest in beauty, recalling spending hours painting her nails after school.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of spending
Verb
  • It was defined in a United Nations Convention, adopted in the wake of the Holocaust, as acts that are committed with the intention of destroying — in whole or in part — a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.
    — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Can the product be restored without destroying what still works?
    — Christopher Kiggins, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of destroying
Verb
  • Deterioration is exacerbated if water reaches the steel rebar, corroding from inside the concrete mass and thereby weakening the integrity of the wall.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Those states’ experiences show that weakening graduation requirements reduces accountability for schools.
    — Neetu Arnold, Washington Post, 30 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
  • Nearly all of the survey’s respondents — 96% — said losing the supplement would be a serious financial blow.
    — Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Jack Wolf Westwood Lincoln Riley talks a big game about excelling in the Big Ten, but in losing badly to Oregon and its backup quarterback, USC probably couldn’t win the Pac-12 this year.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of losing
Verb
  • As wet electrodes get thicker, the liquid binder migrates unevenly during drying, ruining the battery‘s structure.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Seaver also allegedly threatened to start a podcast dedicated to ruining Parton’s image unless he was paid.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of ruining
Verb
  • Even as Democrats target his Virginia district to capitalize on a favorable 2026 environment, McGuire is doing the opposite of Republicans in some competitive races, who are softening their ties to Trump.
    — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 30 Sep. 2026
  • This all lends itself to a softening market for fashion and apparel — even the most loyal customers are pulling back.
    — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of softening

Browse Nearby Words

wastes (away)
wasting
wasting (away)
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Cite this Entry

“Wasting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wasting. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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