Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense wastes, present participle wasting, past tense, past participle wasted
1. verb
If you waste something such as time, money, or energy, you use too much of it doing somethingthat is not important or necessary, or is unlikely to succeed.
There could be many reasons and he was not going to waste time speculating on them. [VERB noun verb-ing]
I resolved not to waste money on a hotel. [VERB noun + on]
The system wastes a large amount of water. [VERB noun]
Waste is also a noun.
It is a waste of time going to the doctor with most mild complaints. [+ of]
I think that is a total waste of money. [+ of]
2. uncountable noun
Waste is the use of money or other resources on things that do not need it.
The packets are measured to reduce waste.
I hate waste.
3. uncountable noun
Waste is material which has been used and is no longer wanted, for example because the valuable or useful part of it has been taken out.
Congress passed a law that regulates the disposal of waste.
Up to 10 million tonnes of toxic wastes are produced every year in the U.K..
...the process of eliminating body waste.
Synonyms: rubbish, refuse, debris, sweepings More Synonyms of waste
4. verb
If you waste an opportunity for something, you do not take advantage of it when it is available.
Let's not waste an opportunity to see the children. [VERB noun]
It was a wasted opportunity. [VERB-ed]
5. verb [usually passive]
If you say that something is wasted on someone, you mean that there is no point giving it or telling it to them as they will not appreciate, understand, or pay any attention to it.
All the well-meant, sincere advice is largely wasted on him. [beV-ed on n]
6. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
Waste land is land, especially in or near a city, which is not used or looked after by anyone, and so is coveredby wild plants and rubbish.
There was a patch of waste land behind the church.
Yarrow can be found growing wild in fields and on waste ground.
Synonyms: uncultivated, wild, bare, barren More Synonyms of waste
7. plural noun [adjective NOUN]
Wastes are a large area of land, for example a desert, in which there are very few people, plants, or animals.
...the barren wastes of the Sahara. [+ of]
Synonyms: desert, wilds, wilderness, void More Synonyms of waste
8. See also wasted
9.
See go to waste
10.
See to lay waste
11.
See waste not, want not
12. to waste your breath
13. to waste no time
Phrasal verbs:
See waste away
More Synonyms of waste
waste in British English
(weɪst)
verb
1. (transitive)
to use, consume, or expend thoughtlessly, carelessly, or to no avail
2. (transitive)
to fail to take advantage of
to waste an opportunity
3. (whenintr, often foll by away)
to lose or cause to lose bodily strength, health, etc
4.
to exhaust or become exhausted
5. (transitive)
to ravage
6. (transitive) informal
to murder or kill
I want that guy wasted by tomorrow
noun
7.
the act of wasting or state of being wasted
8.
a failure to take advantage of something
9.
anything unused or not used to full advantage
10.
anything or anyone rejected as useless, worthless, or in excess of what is required
11.
garbage, rubbish, or trash
12. (usually plural)
a land or region that is wild or uncultivated
the polar wastes
the barren wastes of the Sahara
13. obsolete
a land or region that is devastated or ruined
14. physiology
a.
the useless products of metabolism
b.
indigestible food residue
15.
disintegrated rock material resulting from erosion
16. law
reduction in the value of an estate caused by act or neglect, esp by a life-tenant
adjective
17.
rejected as useless, unwanted, or worthless
18.
produced in excess of what is required
19.
not cultivated, inhabited, or productive
waste land
20.
a.
of or denoting the useless products of metabolism
b.
of or denoting indigestible food residue
21.
destroyed, devastated, or ruined
22.
designed to contain or convey waste products
23. lay waste
Derived forms
wastable (ˈwastable)
adjective
Word origin
C13: from Anglo-French waster, from Latin vastāre to lay waste, from vastus empty
waste in American English
(weɪst)
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈwasted or ˈwasting
1.
to destroy; devastate; ruin
2.
to wear away; consume gradually; use up
3.
to make weak, feeble, or emaciated; wear away the strength, vigor, or life of
a man wasted by age and disease
4.
to use up or spend without real need, gain, or purpose; squander
5.
to fail to take proper advantage of
to waste an opportunity
6. US, Slang
to kill, usually with violence; esp., to murder
verb intransitive
7.
to lose strength, health, vigor, flesh, etc., as by disease; become weak or enfeebled
often with away
8.
to be used up or worn down gradually; become smaller or fewer by gradual loss
9. Rare
to pass or be spent
said of time
10.
to be wasted, or not put to full or proper use
adjective
11.
uncultivated or uninhabited; wild; barren; desolate
12.
left over, superfluous, refuse, or no longer of use
a waste product
13.
produced in excess of what is or can be used
waste energy
14.
excreted from the body as useless or superfluous material
said as of feces or urine
15.
used to carry off or hold waste or refuse
a waste pipe, wastebasket
noun
16.
uncultivated or uninhabited land, as a desert or wilderness
17.
a.
a desolate, uncultivated, or devastated stretch, tract, or area
b.
a vast expanse, as of the sea
18.
a wasting or being wasted
; specif.,
a.
a useless or profitless spending or consuming; squandering, as of money or time
b.
a failure to take advantage (of something)
c.
a gradual loss, decrease, or destruction by use, wear, decay, deterioration, etc.
19.
useless, superfluous, or discarded material, as ashes, garbage or sewage
20.
matter excreted from the body, as feces or urine
21.
cotton fiber or yarn left over from the process of milling, used for wiping machinery, packing bearings, etc.
22. Obsolete
ruin or devastation, as by war or fire
23. Physical Geography
material derived by land erosion or disintegration of rock, and carried to the seaby rivers and streams
Idioms:
go to waste
lay waste (to)
SYNONYMY NOTE: waste, in this connection, is the general word for any stretch of uncultivable, hence uninhabitable,land; a , desert2 is a barren, arid, usually sandy tract of land; , badlands is applied to a barren, hilly waste where rapid erosion has cut the soft rocks intofantastic shapes; , wilderness refers to an uninhabited waste where a lack of paths or trails makes it difficultto find one's way, specif. to such a region thickly covered with trees and underbrush
Word origin
ME wasten < NormFr waster < L vastare, to lay waste, devastate (< vastus: see vast): infl. by Gmc *wostjan > OHG wuosten
More idioms containing
waste
a waste of space
COBUILD Collocations
waste
complete waste
dump waste
electrical waste
food waste
household waste
Examples of 'waste' in a sentence
waste
Nuclear waste used to be dumped in storage ponds.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The biggest food waste culprits include bagged salad and fresh herbs.
The Sun (2017)
Too much money is wasted paying over the top for products.
The Sun (2017)
How much time do people waste trying to get hold of others?
Computing (2010)
How it happened though is a bit of a mystery considering the chances the hosts wasted.
The Sun (2016)
This revolutionary automatic cat box washes away waste, keeping the tray and your cat clean.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Within weeks, residents complained of increased litter in the area and dog waste bins crammed with takeaway food packaging.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
So millions more get wasted.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Families are throwing away 700 worth of food a year on average and the amount wasted has increased after years of decline.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
You can also put food waste in the freezer to stop it going off and smelling, until your next bin collection is due.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
These people waste no time finding a secure method of chatting.
The Sun (2012)
This is unfair and the process was a waste of time and effort.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
We stop our bikes by a patch of waste ground.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
We need to make best use of that waste through the subsidy system.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
This would ease restrictions on pumping out waste in areas closer to the shore during the summer.
The Sun (2013)
This is no more likely than a politically acceptable solution to the nuclear waste disposal problem.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The island will not be ground down so much as wasted away.
Richard Fortey THE EARTH: An Intimate History (2004)
She said police time and resources would also be wasted.
The Sun (2006)
It will show your kidneys are still prepared to flush waste from your body.
The Sun (2012)
So what can you do if you want to keep down the amount of food you waste?
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
She one million per cent wasted money.
The Sun (2013)
Wasted a golden chance before the interval to net as a lack of composure let him down.
The Sun (2006)
Any sweat contains wastes and toxins that the body wants to throw off.
Wilkinson, Steve M.E. and You - a self-help plan (1988)
This volume is a wasted opportunity on a critical topic of national import.
The Times Literary Supplement (2014)
Which brought into culture the most waste land?
Kishlansky, Mark A. (editor) Sources of the West: Readings in Western Civilization, Volume 1: From the Beginningto 1715 (1995)
And it can help reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill each year.
The Sun (2012)
That practising a healthy lifestyle is a waste of time?
The Sun (2010)
This may appear healthy at first but the body may become increasingly wasted.
The Sun (2006)
Such space is wasted when people sit in front of computer screens all day.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Boats lie stranded on barren wastes.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
One example is society's inability to control the generation and proper disposal of residues and wastes.
McKenzie, James F. & Pinger, Robert R. An Introduction to Community Health (1995)
Behind them a desert waste.
Christianity Today (2000)
Yes, it's the very definition of excess and waste.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Quotations
It's no use making shoes for geese
In other languages
waste
British English: waste /weɪst/ NOUN
If you waste something such as time, money, or energy, you use too much of it doing something that is not important or necessary, or is unlikely to succeed. You can say that doing this is a waste of time, money, or energy.
It is a waste of time going to the doctor with most mild complaints.
American English: waste
Arabic: ضَيَاع
Brazilian Portuguese: desperdício
Chinese: 浪费
Croatian: otpad
Czech: plýtvání
Danish: spild
Dutch: afval
European Spanish: desperdicio
Finnish: tuhlaus
French: gaspillage
German: Verschwendung
Greek: σπατάλη
Italian: rifiuto immondizia
Japanese: 浪費
Korean: 낭비
Norwegian: avfall
Polish: odpady
European Portuguese: desperdício
Romanian: irosire
Russian: расточительство
Latin American Spanish: desperdicio
Swedish: sopor
Thai: การสูญเสียโดยเปล่าประโยชน์
Turkish: israf
Ukrainian: даремна витрата
Vietnamese: sự phung phí
British English: waste /weɪst/ VERB
If you waste something such as time, money, or energy, you use too much of it doing something that is not important or necessary, or is unlikely to succeed.
There could be many reasons and he was not going to waste time speculating on them.
American English: waste
Arabic: يُبَدِّدُ
Brazilian Portuguese: desperdiçar
Chinese: 浪费
Croatian: rasipati
Czech: plýtvat
Danish: spilde
Dutch: verspillen
European Spanish: desperdiciar
Finnish: tuhlata menettää
French: gaspiller
German: verschwenden
Greek: σπαταλώ
Italian: sprecare
Japanese: 浪費する
Korean: 낭비하다
Norwegian: sløse (bort)
Polish: zmarnować
European Portuguese: desperdiçar
Romanian: a irosi
Russian: тратить впустую
Latin American Spanish: desperdiciar
Swedish: slösa bort
Thai: ใช้ไปโดยเปล่าประโยชน์
Turkish: israf etmek
Ukrainian: даремно витрачати
Vietnamese: phung phí
All related terms of 'waste'
e-waste
waste material consisting of unwanted electronic products
lay waste
to devastate or destroy
dump waste
Waste is material which has been used and is no longer wanted , for example because the valuable or useful part of it has been taken out.
food waste
Waste is material which has been used and is no longer wanted , for example because the valuable or useful part of it has been taken out.
toxic waste
waste material that can be harmful or deadly to living creatures and the environment
waste away
If someone wastes away , they become extremely thin or weak because they are ill or worried and they are not eating properly.
Waste Land
→ the Waste Land
waste pipe
a pipe to take excess or used water away, as from a sink to a drain
waste water
water that has been used, either in the home or in industry
cotton waste
refuse cotton yarn , esp when used as a cleaning material
kitchen waste
bits of food that are left over from cooking, such as vegetable peelings , cheese rind , and scraps from people's plates
nuclear waste
→ another name for radioactive waste
waste ground
an empty piece of land
waste product
material discarded as useless in the process of producing something
complete waste
Waste is the use of money or other resources on things that do not need it.
go to waste
If something goes to waste , it remains unused or has to be thrown away .
hazardous waste
waste that may be harmful to health or the environment
household waste
Waste is material which has been used and is no longer wanted , for example because the valuable or useful part of it has been taken out.
waste disposal
A waste disposal or a waste disposal unit is a small machine in a kitchen sink that chops up vegetable waste.
waste material
a useless by-product of an industrial process
waste products
the useless products of bodily processes
electrical waste
Waste is material which has been used and is no longer wanted , for example because the valuable or useful part of it has been taken out.
industrial waste
waste materials left over from a manufacturing process in industrial buildings such as factories and mines
lay waste (to)
to destroy; devastate ; make desolate
radioactive waste
any waste material containing radionuclides
the Waste Land
a poem by T .S. Eliot
waste management
the activity of dealing with waste
waste minimization
a policy of generating as little waste as possible
waste of space
If you describe someone or something as a waste of space , you are indicating that you have a very low opinion of them.
a waste of space
someone who is completely useless .
high-level waste
radioactive waste material, such as spent nuclear fuel initially having a high activity and thus needing constant cooling for several decades by its producers before it can be reprocessed or treated
low-level waste
waste material contaminated by traces of radioactivity that can be disposed of in steel drums in concrete-lined trenches but not (since 1983) in the sea
to waste no time
If you waste no time in doing something, you take the opportunity to do it immediately or quickly.
waste disposal unit
an electrically operated fitment in the plughole of a kitchen sink that breaks up food refuse so that it goes down the waste pipe
waste heat recovery
the use of heat that is produced in a thermodynamic cycle , as in a furnace , combustion engine, etc, in another process, such as heating feedwater or air
wastepaper
paper discarded after use
intermediate-level waste
radioactive waste material, such as reactor and processing-plant components, that is solidified before being mixed with concrete and stored in steel drums in deep mines or beneath the seabed in concrete chambers
refinery waste disposal
Refinery waste disposal is the system for dealing with waste materials, especially hazardous ones, in a refinery.
to waste your breath
If someone says you are wasting your breath , they mean that the person you are talking to will not take any notice and so there is no point saying anything to them.
waste not, want not
The expression waste not, want not means that if you do not use too much of something now you will have some left later when you need it.
wasted effort
If you make an effort to do something, you try very hard to do it.
to lay waste lay waste (to) something
If something or someone lays waste an area or town or lays waste to it, they completely destroy it.
disposal unit
an electrically operated fitment in the plughole of a kitchen sink that breaks up food refuse so that it goes down the waste pipe
Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive
a UK organization which oversees and ensures the safe removal of radioactive waste
Chinese translation of 'waste'
waste
(weɪst)
n
(s/u)[of resources, food, money]浪费(費) (làngfèi)
(u) (= rubbish) 废(廢)料 (fèiliào)
adj
[material]废(廢)的 (fèi de)
vt
[money, energy, time]浪费(費) (làngfèi)
[opportunity]失去 (shīqù)
what a waste!真可惜！ (Zhēn kěxī!)
it's a waste of money这(這)是白费(費)钱(錢) (zhè shì bái fèi qián)
it's a waste of time这(這)是浪费(費)时(時)间(間) (zhè shì làngfèi shíjiān)
you're wasting your time你是在浪费(費)时(時)间(間) (nǐ shì zài làngfèi shíjiān)
to go to waste浪费(費)掉 (làngfèidiào)
to lay waste (to) sth毁(毀)坏(壞)某物 (huǐhuài mǒuwù)
Derived Forms
wastesn pl (= land) 荒地 (huāngdì)
All related terms of 'waste'
waste away
消瘦下去 xiāoshòu xiàqù
waste ground
荒地 huāngdì
what a waste!
真可惜！ Zhēn kěxī!
radioactive waste
放射性废(廢)物 fàngshèxìng fèiwù
to go to waste
浪费(費)掉 làngfèidiào
waste/vegetable matter
废(廢)物/植物 fèiwù/zhíwù
it's a waste of time
这(這)是浪费(費)时(時)间(間) zhè shì làngfèi shíjiān
it's a waste of money
这(這)是白费(費)钱(錢) zhè shì bái fèi qián
it would be silly to waste it
把它浪费(費)了就太愚蠢了 bǎ tā làngfèile jiù tài yúchǔn le
it would be a shame to waste this
把这(這)浪费(費)掉太可惜了 bǎ zhè làngfèidiào tài kěxī le
to lay waste (to) sth
毁(毀)坏(壞)某物 huǐhuài mǒuwù
1 (verb)
Definition
to fail to take advantage of
We can't afford to waste money on another holiday.
Synonyms
squander
He had squandered his chances to win.
throw away
blow (slang)
My brother lent me some money and I went and blew the lot.
run through
lavish
misuse
The committee has cleared leaders of misusing funds.
dissipate
Her father had dissipated her inheritance.
fritter away
frivol away (informal)
Opposites
save
,
protect
,
preserve
, conserve,
economize
,
husband
2 (verb)
a cruel disease which wastes the muscles
Synonyms
wear out
wither
His leg muscles had withered from lack of use.
deplete
substances that deplete the ozone layer
debilitate
Fear threatened to debilitate me.
drain
My emotional turmoil has drained me.
undermine
They are accused of trying to undermine the government.
exhaust
The effort of speaking had exhausted him.
consume
Some refrigerators consume 70 per cent less electricity than the least efficient models.
gnaw
eat away
corrode
Engineers found that the structure had been corroded by moisture.
enfeeble
sap the strength of
emaciate
1 (noun)
Definition
the act of wasting something or the state of being wasted
The whole project is a complete waste of time and resources.
Synonyms
squandering
misuse
the misuse of public funds
loss
The loss of income is about £250 million.
expenditure
extravagance
He was accused of gross mismanagement and financial extravagance.
frittering away
lost opportunity
dissipation
the dissipation of my wealth
wastefulness
misapplication
prodigality
unthriftiness
Opposites
saving
,
economy
,
thrift
,
good housekeeping
,
frugality
2 (noun)
Definition
rubbish
This country produces 10 million tonnes of toxic waste every year.
Synonyms
rubbish
unwanted household rubbish
refuse
a weekly collection of refuse
debris
Seven vehicles were damaged by flying debris.
sweepings
scrap
cut up for scrap
litter
If you see litter in the corridor, pick it up.
garbage
rotting piles of garbage
trash (US, Canadian)
The yards are overgrown and cluttered with trash.
leftovers
offal
dross
recovering gold nuggets from dross
dregs
leavings
offscourings
3 (noun)
Definition
a region that is wild or uncultivated
the barren wastes of the Sahara
Synonyms
desert
The vehicles have been modified to suit conditions in the desert.
wilds
wilderness
He looked out over a wilderness of mountain, lake and forest.
void
solitude (poetic)
travelling by yourself in these vast solitudes
wasteland
Pollution has already turned vast areas into a wasteland.
1 (adjective)
Definition
rejected as being useless, unwanted, or worthless
suitable locations for the disposal of waste products
Synonyms
unwanted
The city plan would promote unwanted development in the suburbs.
useless
worthless
Training is worthless unless there is proof that it works.
unused
leftover
Leftover chicken makes a wonderful salad.
superfluous
My presence at the afternoon's proceedings was superflous.
unusable
supernumerary
Opposites
needed
,
necessary
,
utilized
2 (adjective)
Definition
not cultivated or productive
Yarrow can be found growing wild on waste ground.
Synonyms
uncultivated
wild
one of the few wild areas remaining in the South East
bare
a bare landscape
barren
the Tibetan landscape of the high barren mountains
empty
The room was bare and empty.
devastated
dismal
dreary
desolate
a desolate, barren place
unproductive
increasingly unproductive land
uninhabited
an uninhabited island in the North Pacific
Opposites
cultivated
,
developed
,
productive
,
in use
,
fruitful
,
arable
,
verdant
,
habitable
idiom
See lay something waste
phrasal verb
See waste away
Usage note
Waste and wastage are to some extent interchangeable, but many people think that wastage should not be used to refer to loss resulting from human carelessness, inefficiency, etc: a waste (not a wastage) of time, money, effort, etc.
proverb
It's no use making shoes for geese
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bare
a bare landscape
Synonyms
desolate,
dry,
waste,
empty,
desert,
unproductive,
unfruitful
in the sense of barren
the Tibetan landscape of the high barren mountains
Synonyms
desolate,
empty,
desert,
bare,
waste
in the sense of blow
Definition
to spend (money) freely
My brother lent me some money and I went and blew the lot.
Synonyms
spend,
waste,
squander,
consume,
run through,
use up,
dissipate,
fritter away
Synonyms of 'waste'
waste
Explore 'waste' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of consume
Definition
to use up
Some refrigerators consume 70 per cent less electricity than the least efficient models.
Synonyms
use up,
use,
spend,
waste,
employ,
absorb,
drain,
exhaust,
deplete,
squander,
utilize,
dissipate,
expend,
eat up,
fritter away
in the sense of corrode
Definition
to destroy gradually
Engineers found that the structure had been corroded by moisture.
Synonyms
eat away,
waste,
consume,
corrupt,
deteriorate,
erode,
rust,
gnaw,
oxidize
in the sense of debilitate
Definition
to make gradually weaker
Fear threatened to debilitate me.
Synonyms
weaken,
exhaust,
wear out,
sap,
incapacitate,
prostrate,
enfeeble,
enervate,
devitalize
in the sense of debris
Definition
fragments of something destroyed
Seven vehicles were damaged by flying debris.
Synonyms
remains,
bits,
pieces,
waste,
ruins,
wreck,
rubbish,
fragments,
litter,
rubble,
wreckage,
brash,
detritus,
dross
in the sense of deplete
Definition
to use up (supplies or money)
substances that deplete the ozone layer
Synonyms
use up,
reduce,
drain,
exhaust,
consume,
empty,
decrease,
evacuate,
lessen,
impoverish,
expend,
bankrupt
in the sense of desolate
Definition
uninhabited and bleak
a desolate, barren place
Synonyms
uninhabited,
deserted,
bare,
waste,
wild,
ruined,
bleak,
solitary,
barren,
dreary,
godforsaken,
unfrequented
in the sense of dissipate
Definition
to waste or squander
Her father had dissipated her inheritance.
Synonyms
squander,
spend,
waste,
consume,
run through,
deplete,
expend,
fritter away,
misspend,
exhaust,
consume,
scatter
in the sense of dissipation
Definition
the process of dissipating
the dissipation of my wealth
Synonyms
waste,
spending,
squandering,
blowing (slang),
consumption,
throwing away,
misuse,
frittering away,
misspending
in the sense of drain
Definition
to make constant demands on (energy or resources)
My emotional turmoil has drained me.
Synonyms
exhaust,
tire,
wear out,
strain,
weaken,
fatigue,
weary,
debilitate,
prostrate,
tax,
tire out,
enfeeble,
enervate
in the sense of dross
Definition
the scum formed on the surfaces of molten metals
recovering gold nuggets from dross
Synonyms
scum,
crust,
impurity,
scoria,
rubbish,
remains,
refuse,
lees,
waste,
debris,
dregs,
recrement
Additional synonyms
in the sense of empty
Definition
without inhabitants
The room was bare and empty.
Synonyms
bare,
clear,
abandoned,
deserted,
vacant,
free,
void (old-fashioned),
desolate,
destitute,
uninhabited,
unoccupied,
waste,
unfurnished,
untenanted,
without contents,
MT
in the sense of exhaust
Definition
to tire out
The effort of speaking had exhausted him.
Synonyms
tire out,
tire,
fatigue,
drain,
weaken,
weary,
sap,
wear out,
debilitate,
prostrate,
enfeeble,
make tired,
enervate
in the sense of extravagance
He was accused of gross mismanagement and financial extravagance.
Synonyms
overspending,
squandering,
profusion,
profligacy,
wastefulness,
waste,
lavishness,
prodigality,
improvidence
in the sense of garbage
Definition
household waste
rotting piles of garbage
Synonyms
junk,
rubbish,
litter,
trash (US),
refuse,
waste,
sweepings,
scraps,
debris,
muck,
filth,
swill,
slops,
offal,
detritus,
dross,
odds and ends,
flotsam and jetsam,
grot (slang),
leavings,
dreck (slang, US),
scourings,
offscourings
in the sense of leftover
Definition
left as an unused portion
Leftover chicken makes a wonderful salad.
Synonyms
surplus,
remaining,
extra,
excess,
unwanted,
unused,
uneaten
in the sense of litter
Definition
small items of rubbish carelessly dropped in public places
If you see litter in the corridor, pick it up.
Synonyms
rubbish,
refuse,
waste,
fragments,
junk,
debris,
shreds,
garbage (US),
trash,
muck,
detritus,
grot (slang)
in the sense of loss
Definition
the act or an instance of losing
The loss of income is about £250 million.
Synonyms
losing,
waste,
disappearance,
deprivation,
squandering,
drain,
forfeiture
in the sense of misuse
The committee has cleared leaders of misusing funds.
Synonyms
waste,
squander,
dissipate,
embezzle,
misappropriate
in the sense of misuse
Definition
incorrect, improper, or careless use
the misuse of public funds
Synonyms
waste,
embezzlement,
squandering,
dissipation,
fraudulent use,
misemployment,
misusage
in the sense of prodigality
Synonyms
wastefulness,
waste,
abandon,
excess,
squandering,
extravagance,
recklessness,
profligacy,
dissipation,
intemperance,
wantonness,
immoderation
Additional synonyms
in the sense of refuse
Definition
anything thrown away
a weekly collection of refuse
Synonyms
rubbish,
waste,
sweepings,
junk (informal),
litter,
garbage (US),
trash,
sediment,
scum,
dross,
dregs,
leavings,
dreck (slang, US),
offscourings,
lees
in the sense of scrap
Definition
waste material or used articles, often collected and reprocessed
cut up for scrap
Synonyms
waste,
refuse,
rubbish,
junk,
litter,
debris,
garbage,
trash (US, Canadian),
detritus,
off cuts
in the sense of solitude
travelling by yourself in these vast solitudes
Synonyms
wilderness,
waste,
desert,
emptiness,
wasteland
in the sense of superfluous
Definition
more than is sufficient or required
My presence at the afternoon's proceedings was superflous.
Synonyms
excess,
surplus,
redundant,
remaining,
extra,
spare,
excessive,
unnecessary,
in excess,
needless,
left over,
on your hands,
surplus to requirements,
uncalled-for,
unneeded,
residuary,
supernumerary,
superabundant,
pleonastic,
unrequired,
supererogatory
in the sense of trash
Definition
unwanted objects
The yards are overgrown and cluttered with trash.
Synonyms
litter,
refuse,
waste,
rubbish,
sweepings,
junk (informal),
garbage,
dross,
dregs,
dreck (slang, US),
offscourings
in the sense of undermine
Definition
to weaken gradually or insidiously
They are accused of trying to undermine the government.
Synonyms
weaken,
sabotage,
subvert,
compromise,
disable,
debilitate,
disempower
in the sense of uninhabited
Definition
having no people living in or on it
an uninhabited island in the North Pacific
Synonyms
deserted,
waste,
barren,
desolate,
abandoned,
empty,
desert,
lonely,
unsettled,
vacant,
unoccupied,
unpopulated,
untenanted
in the sense of unproductive
increasingly unproductive land
Synonyms
barren,
sterile,
infertile,
dry,
fruitless,
unprolific
in the sense of wasteland
Definition
a barren or desolate area of land
Pollution has already turned vast areas into a wasteland.
Synonyms
wilderness,
waste,
wild,
desert,
void
in the sense of wild
Definition
uninhabited and desolate
one of the few wild areas remaining in the South East
Synonyms
desolate,
empty,
desert,
deserted,
virgin,
lonely,
uninhabited,
godforsaken,
uncultivated,
uncivilized,
trackless,
unpopulated
Additional synonyms
in the sense of wilderness
Definition
a wild uninhabited uncultivated region
He looked out over a wilderness of mountain, lake and forest.
Synonyms
wilds,
waste,
desert,
wasteland,
uncultivated region
in the sense of wither
Definition
to fade or waste
His leg muscles had withered from lack of use.
Synonyms
waste,
decline,
shrink,
shrivel,
atrophy
in the sense of worthless
Definition
without value or usefulness
Training is worthless unless there is proof that it works.