wastage

noun

wast·​age ˈwā-stij How to pronounce wastage (audio)
: loss, decrease, or destruction of something (as by use, decay, erosion, or leakage)
especially : wasteful or avoidable loss of something valuable

Examples of wastage in a Sentence

the slash-and-burn wastage of the surrounding countryside as the army made its way to the sea
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Professionalization of power distribution can help lower these subsidies and reduce wastage. Radhika Kak, Independent Researcher At Harvard Business School and Varad Pande, Partner At Bcg, CNBC, 20 Mar. 2025 Lunches and dinners are served à la carte to reduce food wastage. Nicole Trilivas, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2025 Despite allegations of wastage, the US government’s investment in universities has been recouped many times over via the innovations and human capital universities have created. Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025 Excess government wastage and spending keep taxes high and contribute to making investing in our country increasingly unattractive. Shivaune Field, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wastage

Word History

First Known Use

1735, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wastage was in 1735

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wastage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wastage. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

wastage

noun
wast·​age ˈwā-stij How to pronounce wastage (audio)
: loss, decrease, or destruction of something (as by use, decay, erosion, or leakage)
especially : wasteful or avoidable loss of something valuable

More from Merriam-Webster on wastage

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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