Waste - definition, pronunciation, transcription
noun ▼
- useless or profitless activity; using or expending or consuming thoughtlessly or carelessly (syn: dissipation, wastefulness)
- the trait of wasting resources (syn: thriftlessness, wastefulness)
- an uninhabited wilderness that is worthless for cultivation (syn: barren, wasteland)
- (law) reduction in the value of an estate caused by act or neglect
verb ▼
- use inefficiently or inappropriately
- get rid of
- run off as waste
- get rid of (someone who may be a threat) by killing (syn: liquidate, neutralise, neutralize)
- spend extravagantly (syn: consume, squander, ware)
- lose vigor, health, or flesh, as through grief (syn: languish)
- cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly
- become physically weaker
▼ (3)
adjective ▼
Examples
The current system causes a lot of waste.
We need to find ways to reduce unnecessary waste.
These old computers are still useful. It seems like such a waste to throw them away.
Any further investment would be a waste of valuable resources.
The city oversees waste disposal contracts.
Don't waste water during the summer drought.
He always wasted his money on useless gadgets.
Turn off the lights so we don't waste electricity.
I think he's just wasting my time.
We can't afford to waste so much food.
We can't afford to waste this opportunity.
...waste acreage that was not fit for anything...
All his efforts were wasted.
He was not going to waste time.
I decided not to waste money on a hotel.
Word forms
I/you/we/they: waste
he/she/it: wastes
present participle: wasting
past tense: wasted
past participle: wasted
singular: waste
plural: wastes