Synonyms for
Wasteful
Definition
using or spending more of something than is necessary or useful; not saving resources
Synonyms & similar words
Synonyms by register
Informal
Literary
Antonyms
Common collocations
- wasteful spending
- wasteful practices
- wasteful use
- wasteful energy
- wasteful habits
- wasteful consumption
- wasteful of time
Word family
Usage note
Often used to describe actions or habits that result in the loss of resources like time, money, or materials. It carries a negative connotation, implying a lack of good judgment or care.
Example sentences
- He was wasteful with his food and threw away half of his sandwich.
- The company was wasteful with their resources and ended up going bankrupt.
- She was scolded for being wasteful with the water and leaving the faucet on.
- The teacher taught the students to be less wasteful by recycling and reusing materials.
- He was wasteful with his time and didn't finish his homework.
Quotes
'Waste and want still torment the world', said Theodore Roosevelt.
'The waste of plenty is the resource of scarcity', said Thomas Love Peacock.
'Waste not, want not', said Benjamin Franklin.