as in weakening
to lose bodily strength or vigor
the tuberculosis resulted in her simply wasting away
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in failing
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wasting (away)
Verb
-
Ocean acidification is weakening the teeth of sharks.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harpers Magazine,
29 Oct. 2025 -
The free-trade agenda sought to deregulate the labor market and prioritize market efficiency, strengthening the hands of employers and severely weakening union and social movements, as anti-free traders had predicted.—
Dónal Gill,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Everyday absurdities, moral failings and big-city tension carry a pointed social sting.—
Emiliano De Pablos,
Variety,
29 Oct. 2025
-
There were festering family vendettas; botched forensics; staggering police failings.—
Heidi Blake,
New Yorker,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Caos isn’t an easy listen, often fading into a bleary haze and not quite coherently fulfilling the implications of its concept.—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Imagine slowly losing the center of your vision, like a camera lens fading to fog.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Potential complications include sinus and ear infections; inflammation of the heart, brain or muscle tissues; multi-organ failure; sepsis or the worsening of chronic conditions like asthma.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Gastrointestinal Issues Wearing tight clothing that increases intra-abdominal pressure can lead to issues with gastrointestinal health, including the worsening of acid reflux.—
Angelica Bottaro,
Verywell Health,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The structures were sagging under the weight of so many books.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
20 Oct. 2025
-
The dilapidated wooden trim and sagging porticos were spruced up a few years ago after preservationists complained to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, but the upstairs windows reveal glimpses of peeling paint, crumbling plaster, and collapsing ceilings inside.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The causes of the deterioration are different in each case, and some of Washington’s grievances against Brazil, India, and South Africa—global swing states that will help dictate which country leads the world—are legitimate.—
Richard Fontaine,
Foreign Affairs,
27 Oct. 2025
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According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, CMT causes a range of sensory and motor symptoms, including numbness, tingling, pain, muscle weakness and atrophy — deterioration in cells, tissues, and organs.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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When the candle burns out, upcycle the elegant blue jar into a seashell or trinket holder to keep the beachy vibes going.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Oct. 2025
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But for Dylan, going from Jew to Jesus freak—however slack a Jew he’d been—was no more questionable or embarrassing to him than going from acoustic to electric.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Just over 700 people — less than a third of the total number of crew and passengers — survived the sinking.—
Pilar Arias,
FOXNews.com,
29 Oct. 2025
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The most common cause is underwater earthquakes that force the seafloor to move vertically, either rising or sinking, which displaces massive volumes of water.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Wasting (away).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wasting%20%28away%29. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.
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