waste
Third Person
wastes
Present Participle
wasting
Past Tense
wasted
Past Participle
wasted
1
to use something without care or more than needed
transitive
- She tends to waste water by leaving the faucet running while brushing her teeth.
- It's unfortunate that some people waste electricity by leaving lights on when they're not needed.
- Instead of recycling, he chose to waste paper by throwing it in the regular trash.
- The company was criticized for its tendency to waste resources without considering environmental impacts.
Antonyms:
2
to use financial or material resources recklessly, extravagantly, or in a manner that lacks prudent management
transitive
- He tends to waste his income on luxury items rather than saving for the future.
- Some individuals waste their inheritance on frivolous expenses, leaving little for long-term financial security.
- Failing to maintain a budget may lead to wasting resources on fleeting pleasures.
3
to eliminate or kill someone
transitive
- The gang decided to waste the informant who was cooperating with the police.
- In the criminal underworld, it's not uncommon for rival groups to order a hitman to waste their competition.
- The spy narrowly escaped being wasted by the enemy agents.
- The mob boss was known for wasting anyone who posed a risk to his organization.
4
to dispose of or eliminate something
transitive
- They decided to waste old furniture by putting it out on the curb for pickup.
- The company had to waste excess inventory to make room for new products.
- He decided to waste his old clothes by donating them to a local charity.
- The policy was to waste obsolete technology to make way for the latest advancements.
- In an effort to downsize, they had to waste some of their belongings.
5
to gradually lose physical strength, usually due to illness, malnutrition, or other adverse conditions
- The lack of proper nutrition caused the patient to waste.
- After weeks of being bedridden, the athlete could feel himself wasting.
- She had been battling a chronic illness that caused her to waste over the years.
- The prisoner, subjected to harsh living conditions, started to waste.
Synonyms:
6
to cause extensive destruction; to lay waste to an area, structure, or resource
transitive
- The hurricane swept through the coastal town, wasting everything in its path.
- The invading army aimed to waste the enemy's infrastructure, leaving nothing intact.
- The earthquake shook the city, and aftershocks continued to waste buildings that had already been weakened.
- The invasive species rapidly spread, threatening to waste the native plant life in the ecosystem.
7
to cause something to shrink or become weaker gradually
transitive
- The long illness gradually wasted him, leaving him too weak to get out of bed.
- Over the months, the harsh conditions of the prison camp wasted the prisoners.
- The disease wasted her so severely that she could barely stand on her own.