Meaning & use
Wasteful
Last updated
Using or expending something, such as money, time, or resources, carelessly or without full use.
See it in a sentence
Leaving the lights on all day is wasteful and increases the electricity bill.
The company was criticized for its wasteful spending on unnecessary travel.
A note on using this word
Commonly paired with resources like energy, water, food, or money to criticize inefficient or careless use.
Words with a similar meaning
extravagantprofligate
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
thriftyeconomical
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