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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in garbage
discarded or useless material
gathered up the waste when he was finished sewing
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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
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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
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5
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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6
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
1
as in to spend
to use up carelessly
he wasted his lottery winnings on booze-soaked nights with gold diggers
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2
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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3
as in to weaken
to diminish the physical strength of
endless months of inactivity wasted him
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in barren
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
waste acreage that was not fit for anything
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of waste
Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 28 Feb. 2025
There are no proposals that have been released that actually are targeting cutting waste.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2025
EW.com, 2 Mar. 2025
When the public thinks its cash is being wasted, governance loses legitimacy.
—Stephen Collinson, CNN, 1 Mar. 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
The town council maintained its innocence, however, denying there was any link between the waste materials and the birth defects and refuting claims of negligence during the reclamation project.
—Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 28 Feb. 2025
There are no proposals that have been released that actually are targeting cutting waste.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
There's not an unmemorable line reading, not one physical movement wasted.
—EW.com, 2 Mar. 2025
When the public thinks its cash is being wasted, governance loses legitimacy.
—Stephen Collinson, CNN, 1 Mar. 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
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People will be painting, planting trees, spreading mulch and cleaning up garbage starting at 9 a.m.—
Sal Pizarro,
The Mercury News,
5 Mar. 2025
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Other videos on social media show people picking up food scraps from the garbage.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The 2025 Indian Wells Open will kick off this week in the California desert, where the best players in the world will be taking the court.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
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Saguaro National Park Before The Summer Heat Arrives Arizona’s deserts are at their most comfortable during spring, with daytime highs around 70–80°F.—
Emese Maczko,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Here’s some of what the inspector found: About nine pieces of rodent dung in the lobby behind the drink station counter.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
28 Jan. 2025
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Hundreds of barefoot pilgrims undertook a parikrama one morning, picking around heaps of cow dung dotting the road.—
Omkar Khandekar,
NPR,
5 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump is calling for the expansion of crisis intervention programs as new data shows police killings hit a record high in 2024 — despite a national decline in violent crime.—
Delano Massey,
Axios,
28 Feb. 2025
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Mining and refining minerals is highly energy-intensive, meaning that any expansion of production will require massive investments in rebuilding power infrastructure.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The erosion of glacial slopes also heightens the likelihood of floods, landslides and avalanches, increasing the risk to millions living in mountain communities.—
Kathleen Magramo and Esha Mitra,
CNN,
4 Mar. 2025
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Wildfires can lead to severe land damage, posing risks like erosion, flooding and infrastructure harm.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacramento Bee,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Edman spent much of the winter seemingly pegged to be the club’s everyday center fielder, with a chance to work into the infield mix occasionally.—
Fabian Ardaya,
The Athletic,
3 Mar. 2025
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At the urging of scientists, especially those gathering at symposiums like the one in La Jolla, the federal government has spent millions stockpiling both the chemicals and other components needed to rapidly manufacture new vaccines and also on doses designed to match earlier strains of H5N1.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Sometimes, one bad person or a few bad people can ruin things for everybody.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
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The floods were also a disaster for businesses that lost valuable stock, like a local bookstore which saw $25,000 worth of books ruined, the BBC reported.—
Simon Perry,
People.com,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In the fourth quarter of 2024, WK Kellogg reported net sales of $640 million, a decrease of 1.7% compared to $651 million in the same period in 2023, impacted by a 5.6% volume decline and a 40 basis point headwind from the weakening Canadian dollar.—
Joe Cornell,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
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Fed officials are closely monitoring inflation and the labor market for signs of a potentially weakening economy.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to waste
Cite this Entry
“Waste.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waste. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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