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
Reducing waste Oklo and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) are considering a partnership where Oklo would recycle TVA’s used nuclear fuel. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2025 Tim Seymour of Seymour Asset Management, who was also on the show, pointed out that though the waste management business is a solid one, at its current valuation of 34 times forward earnings, Republic has become expensive relative to the market. Michael Khouw, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
Don’t let your hard work go to waste. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2025 The Ravens’ offensive line was making clear lanes at the line of scrimmage, and the bruising back didn’t waste them. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 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
  • Núñez, despite his occasional wastefulness in front of goal, was a very useful option in the position and brought great energy and dynamism to the team.
    James Nalton, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
  • Arsenal’s wastefulness on the break was evident nine minutes into the game.
    James McNicholas, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • People were calling it tacky, brave, MFA garbage, heart wrenching.
    Sarah Adler September 8, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The character of Robbie, a garbage collector- turned-criminal, came to you through a suggestion from someone.
    Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Over nearly four decades in the desert, Matzner donated more than $85 million to local nonprofits and helped the festival become an important stop on the Hollywood awards circuit.
    Pat Saperstein, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Yet nearly 2,000 miles away, in one of America’s deserts, lives were reborn.
    Suzette Hackney, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • And like the wildebeest, bison dung packs a nutritional punch when deposited across the landscape.
    Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 29 Aug. 2025
  • Decades before Colorado’s best singers, dancers and actors graced the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in downtown Denver, workers pushed brooms across the stage to clean up elephant dung, rodeo sawdust, and blood spatters from boxing matches.
    John Wenzel, Denver Post, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Eudia and Haroun used the Summit to announce a major expansion of their AI for Good initiative, investing resources to remove systemic barriers and foster economic mobility and opportunity, especially for Arizona’s underserved communities.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2025
  • This growth includes the expansion of distribution centers, attack surfaces, and opportunities for malicious actors.
    Leeza Garber, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • That erosion of belonging can undermine both trust and innovation.
    Matthew C. Meade, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Said to be the largest limestone arch in North America, the 215-foot-tall formation was created by erosion.
    Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • More on that decision and a list of other schools that have decided to spend cash on volleyball here.
    Payton Titus, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Tony didn’t find out about their daughter until after Ziva’s death, then father and daughter spent several years together before Ziva revealed the truth.
    Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
    Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Our family has been ruined by Denise's lies of promising to end a year-long affair.
    Stephanie Wenger, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Waste.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waste. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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