wasteful

adjective

waste·​ful ˈwāst-fəl How to pronounce wasteful (audio)
: given to or marked by waste : lavish, prodigal
wastefully adverb
wastefulness noun

Examples of wasteful in a Sentence

a wasteful use of natural resources a careless and wasteful person We must eliminate wasteful expenditures.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful? Devon Abelman, Allure, 23 Nov. 2024 Since then, Trump's win has thrust Musk even more into the spotlight, with the technology entrepreneur working alongside businessman Vivek Ramaswamy to create a temporary agency charged with chopping wasteful federal spending. Alain Sherter, CBS News, 21 Nov. 2024 Trump has also said that the efforts of Elon and Vivek will allow his administration to dismantle the government bureaucracy and cut wasteful spending. Mike Patton, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024 One of the world’s most consumed, most convenient, and least wasteful types of dairy, in contrast, occupies a space about the size of a beach cooler, on the bottom shelf in an unglamorous and highly missable corner of aisle six. Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 11 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wasteful 

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wasteful was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near wasteful

Cite this Entry

“Wasteful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wasteful. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

wasteful

adjective
waste·​ful ˈwāst-fəl How to pronounce wasteful (audio)
: given to or marked by waste : prodigal
a wasteful use of our natural resources
wastefully adverb
wastefulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on wasteful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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