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waste

waste

 
 
pronunciation:
weIst
parts of speech:
verb, noun, adjective
features:
Word Combinations (verb, noun), Homophone Note, Word Builder, Word Explorer
part of speech: verb
inflections: wastes, wasting, wasted
definition 1: to use or spend in a careless way or for little or no return.
He wasted his money at the carnival.
antonyms:
conserve, save, spare
similar words:
blow, drain, exhaust, lavish
definition 2: to fail to use or take full advantage of.
He wasted the chance to go to college.
synonyms:
miss
similar words:
blow, lose
definition 3: to cause to become more weak.
The cold weather wasted the old woman.
synonyms:
exhaust, tire
similar words:
drain, weaken, wear out
definition 4: to become weak or exhausted.
The old man's health was wasting away.
synonyms:
tire, weaken
similar words:
decay, droop, fatigue, wane, wilt
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
 
part of speech: noun
definition 1: the act of wasting or state of being wasted.
Going to the sale was a waste of time.
similar words:
destruction, misuse, ruin, wreckage
definition 2: using too much of something that is important to save, especially natural resources and products that come from them.
They are trying to reduce waste at home by using fewer paper towels.
antonyms:
thrift
similar words:
misuse
definition 3: things that are thrown away; garbage; refuse.
Plastic containers like these used to be just waste, but now they can be recycled.
synonyms:
garbage, refuse, rubbish
similar words:
debris, junk, litter, trash
definition 4: useless matter thrown away during a particular process.
The factory poured its waste into the river.
synonyms:
by-product
similar words:
garbage, litter, pollution, rubbish
definition 5: material given off by the body after food is digested.
There were portable bathrooms at the festival to dispose of human waste.
synonyms:
urine
similar words:
dung
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
 
part of speech: adjective
definition 1: seen as useless or worthless.
We put our waste food in the compost pile.
synonyms:
useless, worthless
similar words:
extra, unnecessary
definition 2: used for garbage or refuse.
I emptied the waste container.
Homophone Note
The word waste and waist (a part of the human body) sound alike but have different meanings.
Word Builder: waste +
  • wastebasket:
    a basket or large can that you put garbage in.
Word Explorer
See
  blood, body, conservation, excrete, natural resources