WASTE Synonyms: 453 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

waste 1 of 3

noun

ˈwāst

Definition of waste next

as in wastefulness

an instance of spending money or resources without care or restraint it seems like a waste to spend my entire paycheck on a bigger TV

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in garbage

discarded or useless material gathered up the waste when he was finished sewing

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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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

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as in expansion

a wide space or area a legendary mariner doomed to sail the watery wastes of the world until Judgment Day

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

waste

2 of 3

verb

as in to spend

to use up carelessly he wasted his lottery winnings on booze-soaked nights with gold diggers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to ruin

to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of one country attempting to waste another

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to weaken

to diminish the physical strength of endless months of inactivity wasted him

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

waste

3 of 3

adjective

as in barren

producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation waste acreage that was not fit for anything

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Examples of household hazardous waste: Auto and household batteries Pesticides and other chemicals Paints and thinners Aerosol cans Asbestos siding, pipe insulation, and floor tiles E-waste, such as televisions and computer screens Phase 1 happens automatically at no cost. —

Kurt Snibbe, Orange County Register, 2 Feb. 2025 Food waste remains a major food system challenge and hindrance to climate progress, and a moral scourge when so many are hungry. —

Danielle Nierenberg, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025

Verb

The sun may have set on the latest era of WNBA basketball in Connecticut, but the franchise hasn’t wasted any time rebuilding the roster. —

Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2025 Think of all the precious resources wasted by the nuclear nations. —

David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 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

During another sale, an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle was placed in a garbage bag and sold in the middle of the afternoon in the Bronx.

— Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2025
In Dolton, residents can’t even be sure their garbage will be collected.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2025