This day was just a waste of time and money.
Source: tatoeba (2029)
Waste
/weɪst/
Synonyms for "waste" (606 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (122)
abateablateablationabsorptionacarpousafterglowafterimagearabia desertaaridassimilationatrophyattackattenuateattritionbackback countryback of beyondback-countrybackwoodbackwoods
Show 87 more words
backwoodsybalancebarrenbarren landbarrensbatebe consumedbe eaten awaybe gonebe used upblastbloodbathblot outblowblue ruinblunder awaybonesbreakupbring to ruinbrushbumpbump offburnburning upbushbuttbutt endcandle endscarnagecarpe diemcast awayceasecease to becease to existcelibatechaffchildlesscondemnconfoundconspicuous consumptionconsumeconsume awayconsumptioncorrodecorrosioncroakcrumbleculmdamndamnationdeadwooddeal destructiondeath valleydebrisdecimatedecimationdeclinedecreasedecrementdejectadejectiondejecturedeliquescedeliquescencedematerializedepartdepletedepletiondepreciatedepreciationdepredatedepredationdesecratedesertdesolatedesolationdespoildespoilmentdespoliationdestroydestructiondetritusdevastatedevastationdevourdiedie away
Adjective(1 words)
detrital matter
Strong matches (181)
die outdigestiondiminishdirtdisappeardischargedishwaterdisintegrationdisorganizationdispatchdispeldispersedisruptiondissipatedissipationdissolutiondissolvedivedo a fade-outdo in
Show 121 more words
draffdraindraineddregsdribble awaydried updried-updriveldroopdropdrop offdrydry updustdust bowldwindleeating upebbeffluentegestaejectaejectamentaejectionemacerateemaciateemaciationemptyendengorgeeraseerodeerosionevanesceevaporateevaporationexcrementexcretaexcretesexecuteexhaustexhaustedexhaustionexitexpendexpendingexpenditureexterminateextravaganceextravagancyextravasateextravasationexudateexudationfadefade awayfade outfag endfailfallfall awayfall offfallowfilingsfinishfinishingfixflagfleefleetflyfool awayfossilfritterfrivolfruitlessgarbagegashgauntgeldedgetgive outgive the businessgogo awaygo up in smokegobblegobble upgun downgutgut with firehavocheathhecatombhidehinterlandhithogwashholdoverholocausthowling wildernesshuskhusksiceidleimpotentimpoverishmentincinerateincontinenceineffectualinfecundinfertileingestionintemperanceissuelessjejunejunglejunkkarrookelterkilllanguish
Noun(23 words)
discarddiscard samplediscard termdiscardeddiscardsdissipatedissipatingdissipationdrossdwindleenergy leakageenergy wasteextravagantfritteringfrittersfutilitygarbagegobblesguzzleinefficiencies
Show 3 more words
Verb(13 words)
discard place value materialsdiscard unused itemsdissipateddissipatesdo induppyemaciateexcretingfritteredget rid ofkillknock offlanguish
Adjective(4 words)
Related words (303)
lavishlavishnesslay in ruinslay outlay wasteleachedleakageleaking purseleave no traceleave the sceneleavingsleesleftoverleftoverslessenlet uplifelesslitterloafloose purse strings
Show 212 more words
loselose strengthlosslunar landscapelunar wastemaceratemarcescencemeltmelt awaymenopausalmuckmurdernonfertilenonproducingnonproductivenonprolificodds and endsoffoffaloffscouringsortsoutbackoverdoingovergenerosityovergenerousnessoverliberalityparchparingparingspasspass awaypass outpeakpelfperditionperishpeter outpillagepinepine awayplummetplungepolish offpotsherdspound-foolishnesspreshrinkprodigalityprofligacyprofusenessprofusionragragsraidraspingraspingsravagereckless expenditurereckless spendingrefuserelicsremainderremainsremnantresidueresiduumrestretire from sightriffraffrinsingroachrub outrubbishrubbleruinruinateruinationruinsrummagerumprun downrun dryrun lowrun outrun to seedrun to wastesacksagsaharasalt flatsawdustscouringscouringsscrapscrap ironscrapsscumsearsettleshadowshamblesshardshardsshavingshavingsshipwreckshrinkshrinkageshrivelsine prolesinkslackslagslaughterslopslopsspendspendingspillspoilspoliatespoliationsquandersquanderingsquandermaniasterilestrawstripstubblestumpsubsidesucked drysuffer an eclipsesurvivalswallow upsweepingsweepingsswillsylvantail offtake care oftaretaresteemlessthinthrowthrow into disordertracetransudatetransudationtrashuncultivatedundoingunfertileunfruitfulunleash destructionunleash the hurricaneunplowedunproductiveunprolificunsownuntilledup countryup-countryupheaveuse upusingusing upvandalismvandalizevanishvanish from sightvaporizevestigevirginwanewastagewaste awaywaste matterwastedwastefulnesswastelandwastepaperwasting awayweakenwearwear and tearwear awaywearingwearing awaywearing downweary wasteweazenweedweedswildwildernesswildnesswildswiltwiltingwipe outwitherwither awaywitheringwithout issuewizenwoodlandwrackwrack and ruinwreak havocwreckzap
Verb(24 words)
lay waste toliquidatemaceratemisallocatemismanagemisspendsmisspentneutraliseneutralizeoverindulgedpine awaypissesravageremoverotrun offscourgesquandersquanderedsquanders
Show 4 more words
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abate, ablate, ablation, absorption, acarpous.
- Sentence evidence is available for waste, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, derived_reverse, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "waste".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "waste"
Keep "waste" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "waste" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "waste", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "waste" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
53 entriesShowing 16 of 53 words.
More specific
21 entriesShowing 16 of 21 words.
Collocations
16 entrieshazardous wastehousehold wasteindustrial wastemedical wastesolid wastewaste disposalwaste energywaste managementwaste materialswaste moneywaste productswaste resourceswaste spacewaste timewaste waterwasteful spending
Inflections
5 entriesDerivations
6 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
2 entriesSample sentences
33 total sentences available.
Boredom is the feeling that everything is a waste of time; serenity, that nothing is.
Source: tatoeba (2279)
Haste makes waste.
Source: tatoeba (19729)
Hurry up. We've little time to waste.
Source: tatoeba (19742)
Showing 4 of 33 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "waste"?
Closest matches include abate, ablate, ablation, absorption, acarpous.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "waste"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.