1
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in garbage
discarded or useless material
gathered up the waste when he was finished sewing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
4
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
5
as in expansion
a wide space or area
a legendary mariner doomed to sail the watery wastes of the world until Judgment Day
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
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
1
as in to spend
to use up carelessly
he wasted his lottery winnings on booze-soaked nights with gold diggers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to ruin
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
one country attempting to waste another
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to weaken
to diminish the physical strength of
endless months of inactivity wasted him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 15 Aug. 2025
As part of the JV, Ester also provides Loop with expertise in sourcing PET and polyester waste feedstocks in the local market.
—Jennifer Bringle, Sourcing Journal, 15 Aug. 2025
Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 1 Aug. 2025
Kim Kardashian's new SKIMS shapewear has already sold out online, but doctors suggest people are wasting their money.
—Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025
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
Noun
Nearby, medical waste had been dumped by the waters, and police had to rope the area off until it was cleaned up.
—Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 15 Aug. 2025
As part of the JV, Ester also provides Loop with expertise in sourcing PET and polyester waste feedstocks in the local market.
—Jennifer Bringle, Sourcing Journal, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
Early resignation offers have reduced the workforce, but critics say the moves are also wasting money.
—Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 1 Aug. 2025
Kim Kardashian's new SKIMS shapewear has already sold out online, but doctors suggest people are wasting their money.
—Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 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
-
New York City has already begun working with neighborhood groups and activating organizations who sign up to be notified before a big rain to clean debris like falling leaves and garbage from the sewer drains in their community.—
Amy Chester,
New York Daily News,
6 Aug. 2025
-
Check garbage collection schedules in Ohio Ohio's bigger cities won't see garbage trucks on Labor Day.—
Mariyam Muhammad,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The press and social media were quick to throw dirt on Las Vegas, like the still-undiscovered holes in the desert holding the remains of deceased mobsters.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
So like travelers on the desert stretch between San Diego and Phoenix, Padres fans may want to enjoy a celebratory date shake.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Elephants and other big beasts push over trees, trample vegetation underfoot, eat vast amounts of greenery and transport seeds in their dung, disassembling vegetation while unintentionally planting the beginnings of new habitats.—
Riley Black,
Smithsonian Magazine,
11 July 2025
-
Access to clean cooking equipment in sub-Saharan Africa continues to lag behind other regions, with four in five people using wood, charcoal, or dung as fuel over open fires or using basic stoves, according to an International Energy Agency report.—
Paige Bruton,
semafor.com,
23 July 2025
Noun
-
As K-pop revs up its global expansion, one of the sleepers is the bubbly girl group STAYC, whose songs possess a fun-house exuberance (The Theatre at M.S.G.; Oct. 21).—
Shauna Lyon,
New Yorker,
15 Aug. 2025
-
The capital will also support geographic expansion.—
Sarah Jones,
Sourcing Journal,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The consequences can be severe: regulatory violations, data leakage, brand erosion and even systemic model failures.—
Abhi Sharma,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Earnings per share growth has plummeted, with further erosion projected due to elevated costs and discounting pressures.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
On Friday, the 27-year-old actress, who has not publicly commented on the ad or its mixed reception, shared a carousel of photos on Instagram in which she was seen rocking a pair of oversized blue jeans and a white lace-front crop top while spending a night out at a bar with friends.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
17 Aug. 2025
-
Soon after, another hurdle appeared: a recurring inguinal hernia that led to frequent hospital visits, including spending Christmas Day in the emergency room.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Her Altadena home and the surrounding community were ruined by the Eaton wildfires that ripped through Los Angeles in January.—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
14 Aug. 2025
-
But a sewer backup during this weekend's historic flood ruined 60 of the backpacks, Maya Bell reports.—
Hope Karnopp,
jsonline.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
For Trump, whose political brand has long relied on projecting authenticity to his base, a sustained decline in honesty ratings could weaken his ability to roll out his agenda.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Aug. 2025
-
This means banana particles can remain between teeth for an extended period, giving bacteria more time to produce acids that weaken tooth enamel.14 6.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Verywell Health,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Waste.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waste. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share