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¹waste

noun \ˈwāst\

: loss of something valuable that occurs because too much of it is being used or because it is being used in a way that is not necessary or effective

: an action or use that results in the unnecessary loss of something valuable

: a situation in which something valuable is not being used or is being used in a way that is not appropriate or effective

Full Definition of WASTE

a : a sparsely settled or barren region : desert

b : uncultivated land

c : a broad and empty expanse (as of water)

: the act or an instance of wasting : the state of being wasted

a : loss through breaking down of bodily tissue

b : gradual loss or decrease by use, wear, or decay

a : damaged, defective, or superfluous material produced by a manufacturing process: as (1) : material rejected during a textile manufacturing process and used usually for wiping away dirt and oil <cotton waste> (2) : scrap (3) : an unwanted by-product of a manufacturing process, chemical laboratory, or nuclear reactor <toxic waste> <hazardous waste> <nuclear waste>

b : refuse from places of human or animal habitation: as (1) : garbage, rubbish (2) : excrement —often used in plural (3) : sewage

c : material derived by mechanical and chemical weathering of the land and moved down sloping surfaces or carried by streams to the sea

See waste defined for English-language learners

See waste defined for kids

Origin of WASTE

Middle English waste, wast; in sense 1, from Anglo-French wast, from wast, gast, guast, adjective, desolate, waste, from Latin vastus; in other senses, from Middle English wasten to waste — more at vast

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to WASTE

Synonyms: extravagance, prodigality

Antonyms: buildup

Other Ecology Terms

Malthusian, anthropogenic, biomass, carbon footprint, crepuscular, niche, sere, symbiosis, taiga, tundra

Rhymes with WASTE

based, baste, chaste, haste, laced, paste, taste, waist

²waste

verb

: to use (something valuable) in a way that is not necessary or effective : to use more of (something) than is necessary

: to use (something or someone) in a way that does not produce a valuable result or effect : to fail to use (something or someone) in an appropriate or effective way

: to kill or murder (someone)

wast·edwast·ing

Full Definition of WASTE

transitive verb

: to lay waste; especially : to damage or destroy gradually and progressively <reclaiming land wasted by strip-mining>

: to cause to shrink in physical bulk or strength : emaciate, enfeeble <a body wasted by disease>

: to wear away or diminish gradually : consume

a : to spend or use carelessly : squander <waste valuable resources>

b : to allow to be used inefficiently or become dissipated <a writer wasting her talent>

: kill; also : to injure severely

intransitive verb

: to lose weight, strength, or vitality —often used with away <was wasting away from illness>

a : to become diminished in bulk or substance

b : to become consumed

: to spend money or consume property extravagantly or improvidently

— waste one's breath

: to accomplish nothing by speaking

See waste defined for English-language learners

Origin of WASTE

Middle English, from Anglo-French waster, gaster, from Latin vastare, from vastus desolate, waste

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to WASTE

Synonyms: blow, dissipate, fiddle away, fritter (away), lavish, lose, misspend, run through, spend, squander, throw away, trifle (away), play ducks and drakes with (or make ducks and drakes of)

Antonyms: conserve

Synonym Discussion of WASTE

ravage, devastate, waste, sack, pillage, despoil mean to lay waste by plundering or destroying. ravage implies violent often cumulative depredation and destruction <a hurricane ravaged the coast>. devastate implies the complete ruin and desolation of a wide area <an earthquake devastated the city>. waste may imply producing the same result by a slow process rather than sudden and violent action <years of drought had wasted the area>. sack implies carrying off all valuable possessions from a place <barbarians sacked ancient Rome>. pillage implies ruthless plundering at will but without the completeness suggested by sack <settlements pillaged by Vikings>. despoil applies to looting or robbing without suggesting accompanying destruction <the Nazis despoiled the art museums>.