waste not, want not

idiom

—used to say that if a person never wastes things he or she will always have what is needed

Examples of waste not, want not in a Sentence

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.

Ben Duckett constructed his first innings 86 with the normal disdain for a waste not, want not philosophy. —

Tim Ellis, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024

Cite this Entry

Style

“Waste not, want not.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waste%20not%2C%20want%20not. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation