wasteful

adjective

waste·​ful ˈwāst-fəl 

: given to or marked by waste : lavish, prodigal

wastefully

ˈwāst-fə-lē 

adverb

wastefulness noun

Synonyms

• extravagant
• high-rolling
• prodigal
• profligate
• spendthrift
• squandering
• thriftless
• unthrifty

Examples of wasteful in a Sentence

a wasteful use of natural resources

a careless and wasteful person

We must eliminate wasteful expenditures.

Recent Examples on the Web

This knitwear brand doesn’t follow the traditional (often wasteful) fashion cycle, and instead continuously adds to an ongoing collection ideal for any season or aesthetic. —Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 6 Dec. 2024

When there’s a void in responsibility, filmmaking can become a very exploitative, wasteful and even dangerous activity. —Jamie Lang, Variety, 4 Dec. 2024

The plan accepts Western fatigue, that its armament production cannot keep pace, and that its values are wasteful. —Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 29 Nov. 2024

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have been driving viral discussions about wasteful federal spending the incoming Trump Administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) plans to tackle. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

wasteful

adjective

waste·​ful ˈwāst-fəl 

: given to or marked by waste : prodigal

a wasteful use of our natural resources

wastefully

-fə-lē 

adverb

wastefulness noun