waste 1 of 3

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as in desert
land that is uninhabited or not fit for crops an area that was a barren waste after the strip-mining had ended

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in dung
solid matter discharged from an animal's alimentary canal a local ordinance requiring dog owners to properly dispose of their pet's waste

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in erosion
a gradual weakening, loss, or destruction the slow waste of the once broad beach by the relentless tide

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

waste

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verb

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waste

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adjective

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb waste contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of waste are despoil, devastate, pillage, ravage, and sack. While all these words mean "to lay waste by plundering or destroying," waste may imply producing the same result by a slow process rather than sudden and violent action.

years of drought had wasted the area

When would despoil be a good substitute for waste?

In some situations, the words despoil and waste are roughly equivalent. However, despoil applies to looting or robbing without suggesting accompanying destruction.

the Nazis despoiled the art museums

When is it sensible to use devastate instead of waste?

Although the words devastate and waste have much in common, devastate implies the complete ruin and desolation of a wide area.

an earthquake devastated the city

How are the words pillage and sack related as synonyms of waste?

Pillage implies ruthless plundering at will but without the completeness suggested by sack.

settlements pillaged by Vikings

When is ravage a more appropriate choice than waste?

The words ravage and waste are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, ravage implies violent often cumulative depredation and destruction.

a hurricane ravaged the coast

In what contexts can sack take the place of waste?

The synonyms sack and waste are sometimes interchangeable, but sack implies carrying off all valuable possessions from a place.

barbarians sacked ancient Rome

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of waste
Noun
The bacteria are able to convert urea — which the bacteria produce as waste — and calcium into calcium carbonate crystals. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 6 Apr. 2025 Numerous bins to contain this waste are available in the Bambu Lab MakerWorld repository of models. PC Magazine, 5 Apr. 2025
Verb
But there's also a ton of imitators and imposters who are simply trying to make money—at the expense of normal folks who end up wasting their time money making recipes that don't work. Josh Miller, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2025 Related Articles Rockies lose in Philadelphia, wasting another strong starting pitching performance, to start season 1-5 Rockies waste Kyle Freeland’s strong start, strike out 14 times in loss to Phillies 📬 Rockies Mailbag: Is Kris Bryant done and what does Colorado do with him? Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
The new anti-waste law aims to encourage buyers to repair their devices rather than replace them with new products. Chris Smith, BGR, 26 Feb. 2021 To boost that percentage, France passed an anti-waste bill last year mandating that electronics manufacturers make a repairability index visible on their products. Maddie Stone, Wired, 20 Feb. 2021 See All Example Sentences for waste
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waste
Noun
  • Mountains of garbage are said to be visible from space and people have complained of seeing rats as big as cats in the refuse.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Apr. 2025
  • But also, increasingly, in marine food chains and immense garbage patches in the oceans.
    Nina Agrawal, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The Road to Palmyra After years of violence, Syrians hope to restore the ancient city in the desert.
    The Dial, The Dial, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Investing in that infrastructure and supporting those childcare deserts.
    Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Ancient Egyptians saw some scarabs as representations of new life because the insects are known for rolling balls of dung and then laying their eggs in them, the Israel Antiquities Authority said.
    Saleen Martin, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025
  • To anyone sane who respects basic American norms and traditions, these firms are doing their job — and the abuse of executive power to treat them roughly as one might a terrorist organization is to cast the rule of law into a dung heap.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • This is especially true with Mars — your traditional ruler — journeying through Cancer and your ninth house of travel, expansion and unknown territory.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • The judge found that allowing the reservoir expansion to continue without redoing the permits would cause irreparable environmental damage that cannot be compensated for by monetary payments.
    Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Tracking coastal erosion and sediment movement: The Navigator provides centimeter-level precision in mapping shorelines, enabling researchers to model erosion patterns and sediment transport more effectively.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Rock revetments, seawalls and other hard structures built on the beach limit public access and can contribute to coastal erosion.
    Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Tabor and Kummer spend many all-nighters analyzing and comparing vessels, ideas, designers, and shipyards.
    Kathleen Turner, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • As their name suggests, these tortoises spend most of their time in large burrows that are usually 15 feet long and 6.5 feet deep.
    Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • An attorney representing former Santa Clara Vice Mayor Anthony Becker is asking a county judge to give the ex-official probation — not jail time — arguing that his conviction late last year has already damaged his reputation and ruined his career, according to a new court filing.
    Grace Hase, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Curtis left her job as a deputy in August 2023 and sued the county soon after, claiming in court documents that Anderson’s harassment ruined her reputation and career with the county.
    Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But that progress stalled out around the turn of the year, which weakened the case for further rate cuts and ultimately prompted the Fed to stand pat in January.
    Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2025
  • More broadly, consumer sentiment has declined and retail sales growth has weakened, reflecting the uncertainty of customers over where the economy is headed.
    Harry Holzer, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Waste.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waste. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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