as in wasteful
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1
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
2
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
3
as in weakening
to diminish the physical strength of
endless months of inactivity wasted him
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wasting
Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Jan. 2026
Owning my gear has significantly streamlined my travel experience — no more wasting time in long rental lines, dealing with mystery-smelling boots that have seen better days, or forking out cash for rentals every season.
—Erica Paige, Travel + Leisure, 8 Jan. 2025
No more wasting time.
—Dallas News, 4 Oct. 2022
One that’s too large may be overkill, using up too much electricity and unnecessarily wasting floor space.
—Brett Dvoretz, chicagotribune.com, 1 Apr. 2021
The highly contagious disease was so wasting and terrifying that those who died of it were believed to leave their graves, infecting relatives and draining away blood and life, scholars have said.
—Author: Michael E. Ruane, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Aug. 2019
Andy Naylor, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
Many complained about time-wasting technology platforms.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
But is Mamdani wasting his time railing at Albany in one press conference after another?
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2026
Even if their own tax bill is manageable, the idea that the wealthy are underpaying — or that the government is wasting their dollars — bothers many.
—Linley Sanders, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
American greatness isn’t achieved by wasting money on a bloated military budget.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 13 Apr. 2026
These layers don’t work seamlessly, wasting energy at every boundary.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 12 Apr. 2026
Jorge Ruvalcaba scored for the Red Bulls (3-2-2), who have one win in their last five matches but rallied to get a point out of this one after wasting an early 1-0 lead.
—CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026
One day won’t cover everything, but this route hits the city’s strongest notes — from quiet morning coffee to late-night live music — without wasting time on filler.
—Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
No more wasting time using a cutter or, even worse, shredding by hand.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Jan. 2026
Owning my gear has significantly streamlined my travel experience — no more wasting time in long rental lines, dealing with mystery-smelling boots that have seen better days, or forking out cash for rentals every season.
—Erica Paige, Travel + Leisure, 8 Jan. 2025
No more wasting time.
—Dallas News, 4 Oct. 2022
One that’s too large may be overkill, using up too much electricity and unnecessarily wasting floor space.
—Brett Dvoretz, chicagotribune.com, 1 Apr. 2021
The highly contagious disease was so wasting and terrifying that those who died of it were believed to leave their graves, infecting relatives and draining away blood and life, scholars have said.
—Author: Michael E. Ruane, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Aug. 2019
Verb
Dunk’s blemishes against Liverpool were compounded by an unfortunate yellow card for time wasting in the closing stages when referee Darren England decided too long had been taken with Verbruggen over a goal kick.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
Many complained about time-wasting technology platforms.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
But is Mamdani wasting his time railing at Albany in one press conference after another?
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2026
Even if their own tax bill is manageable, the idea that the wealthy are underpaying — or that the government is wasting their dollars — bothers many.
—Linley Sanders, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
American greatness isn’t achieved by wasting money on a bloated military budget.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 13 Apr. 2026
These layers don’t work seamlessly, wasting energy at every boundary.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 12 Apr. 2026
Jorge Ruvalcaba scored for the Red Bulls (3-2-2), who have one win in their last five matches but rallied to get a point out of this one after wasting an early 1-0 lead.
—CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026
One day won’t cover everything, but this route hits the city’s strongest notes — from quiet morning coffee to late-night live music — without wasting time on filler.
—Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wasting
Adjective
-
Flameless induction cooking ranges, waste management and composting, oil purifying machines—all part of a large attempt to make luxury a little less wasteful.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Some conservative politicians have pushed to defund NPR and PBS for reasons ranging from concerns of bias to wasteful spending.—
Corey Hutchins,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Guro Reiten is sitting inside her apartment in Norway, in between spending time with her 5-month-old son and packing her life away.—
Melanie Anzidei,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
After a backlash, Kennedy has also pivoted to spending more time talking about less controversial topics like healthy eating — albeit with his own spin, including sharing exaggerated claims that various ailments can be cured by diet alone.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As Miles manages to lift up Lily and get her out of there, MPKs start hurling flash-bangs, destroying the Ed Baldwin shrine and shooting a couple of protesters in the process.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
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Ukrainian forces are systematically striking Russian oil refineries, pipelines, and storage facilities over 600 miles inside Russia, destroying tens of billions in infrastructure and disrupting Moscow’s war finances.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The impact of those exits could turn out to be the most lasting, potentially weakening the Justice Department for many years to come, several former longterm DOJ lawyers who worked across areas told USA TODAY.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2026
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Moisture can lead to weakening the tree or shrub's protective layer and create an environment for fungal growth, rot, or disease, says Putnam.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Boston has not won a playoff series since, finishing last in back-to-back years before returning to the postseason last season and losing to the Yankees in the wild-card round.—
Jimmy Golen,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Winning is obviously much more fun than losing, but losing is part of it.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These tenacious insects discreetly land on your skin, leaving sudden, itchy, and painful bites that can swell and turn red, ruining a perfectly pleasant outdoor evening.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
18 Apr. 2026
-
While the couple was able to laugh it off in the moment, the majority of comments on TikTok were negative, with people accusing Zach of being an attention-seeker and ruining the wedding.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Plus, these formulas aren’t limited to softening and smoothing only certain hair textures.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Some galleries have had pigment—blue, red, black—mixed into the concrete, softening the material’s sterility.—
Maximilíano Durón,
ARTnews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But profligate spending wasn’t the only way inflation weighed on bonds.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
20 Mar. 2026
-
This season on the road, Newcastle have been particularly profligate in possession.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wasting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wasting. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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