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.
Replacing drugs that are still effective is wasteful and expensive. Keren Landman, Vox, 4 Nov. 2024 Holmes likes the sharp stainless steel blades and the overall design which is a little less wasteful than most other disposables. Marci Robin, Glamour, 31 Oct. 2024 Ongoing production would be less wasteful than a one-off effort. Maggie Fox, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2024 Reduce inflation, cost to operate businesses and wasteful government spending. Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Orange County Register, 4 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 25 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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