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
While specific sources of hydrogen sulfide were not named, demolition landfills can include drywall waste, which often contains sulfur that emits a rotten-egg smell when wet. James Wilkins, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 May 2025 Quality—durable products reduce waste and offer better value. Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 9 May 2025
Verb
Don’t waste money splurging on something for a wedding rehearsal dinner that’ll only end up at the back of your closet, never to be seen again. Camille Freestone, Glamour, 13 May 2025 But Kyle Farmer grounded into a double play to end the game, wasting Dollander’s gem and ending Schaeffer’s managerial debut on a sour note after Bud Black was fired on Sunday. Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 12 May 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
  • Items seized included a garbage bag that contained a women’s purse, wallet, identification cards for Worser, various cards and a garbage bag that contained a mixture of male and female clothing that were saturated in a red blood-like substance, the warrant affidavit said.
    Kellie Love, Hartford Courant, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Investigators found a baseball bat, a handsaw, blood, a garbage bag with clothing and another with Wormser’s purse, wallet, identification cards and other cards in the apartment, WVIT reported, citing the warrant.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The woman, who attorneys identified only by her first name, Erika, had been wandering in the Arizona desert alone for two days while eight months pregnant before being detained by US Customs and Border Protection agents on Monday, her attorney Luis Campos told CNN.
    Julia Vargas Jones, CNN Money, 3 May 2025
  • Progress on the Line shows that foundation work for the structure is underway, along with electricity infrastructure in the form of large wind farms in the desert.
    Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
Noun
  • The dung heap is being dismantled by a scrum of hermit crabs.
    Kevin Gepford, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Ancient Egyptians also revered dung beetles because the rolling of the dung balls reminded them of the sun god rolling the sun across the sky, according to the Israel Museum.
    Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • New York’s expansive use of eminent domain needed and still needs reining in, not expansion.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 11 May 2025
  • The explosions in Amritsar - the first heard there in the three-day-old conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors - could mark a further expansion in the hostilities that have alarmed world powers.
    USA Today, USA Today, 11 May 2025
Noun
  • Many people who have loved avoidant partners describe the same slow erosion of self-esteem.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Amid the ongoing attacks on reproductive rights in Florida, these efforts to restrict our voting rights feel like yet another erosion of our fundamental rights.
    Carolina Wassmer, Sun Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Combs could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted.
    Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 May 2025
  • Residents of the 8th Congressional District spend an average of 13% of their household income on energy — the highest in the state, according to Department of Commerce data.
    Tom Olsen, Twin Cities, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • Sonos is very, very sorry for ruining your speaker system.
    Boone Ashworth, Wired News, 9 May 2025
  • However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
    Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • Others may develop it after pregnancy, as the muscles and ligaments around the uterus can loosen or weaken.
    Brandi Jones, Health, 10 May 2025
  • This weakens their ability to tailor experiences and erodes marketing efficiency.
    Amit Jhawar, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Waste.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waste. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

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