wasteful

[ weyst-fuhl ]

adjective

1. given to or characterized by useless consumption or expenditure:

   wasteful methods; a wasteful way of life.

2. grossly extravagant; prodigal:

   a wasteful party.

3. devastating or destructive:

   wasteful war.

wasteful

/ ˈweɪstfʊl /

adjective

1. tending to waste or squander; extravagant
2. causing waste, destruction, or devastation

Derived Forms

• ˈwastefully, adverb
• ˈwastefulness, noun

Other Words From

• wasteful·ly adverb
• wasteful·ness noun
• un·wasteful adjective
• un·wasteful·ly adverb
• un·wasteful·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of wasteful¹

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; waste, -ful

Example Sentences

Those “wasteful” studies were studying the effects of stress on rats—and how that stress might be increased if those rats had a lot of previous alcohol exposure.

From Slate

When it comes to “wasteful” scientific research, there are tons of examples to point a finger at.

From Slate

And if Trump is to be believed, Musk and Ramaswamy will merely “pave the way” for Trump’s administration to implement the recommendations and “dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.”

From Slate

Although Marie Antoinette was found to be blameless, her reputation is thought to have been tarnished by the affair and she was unpopular among the French people, who accused her of being wasteful and a dangerous influence on the king.

From BBC

In another post, he added, “Anytime the public thinks we are cutting something important or not cutting something wasteful, just let us know!”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• careless
• destructive
• extravagant
• lavish
• profligate
• reckless