ENGLISH
REFERENCE

wasteful

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈweɪstfəɫ// UK //wˈeɪstfəl// waste·ful Archaic

adj. using more of something than you need, such as money, time, or food. It describes a person or action that throws away things that are still useful.

adj. using or expending something of value carelessly, extravagantly, or to no purpose. Often used to describe habits, processes, or individuals that fail to conserve resources.


SIMPLE

Leaving the lights on all day is very wasteful.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager criticized the wasteful spending on luxury office furniture while the staff lacked basic supplies.

COMPLEX

Environmentalists argue that the current model of fast fashion is inherently wasteful, as it encourages consumers to discard garments after only a few uses.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English wastful; equivalent to waste + -ful.

Usage

Typically used as an attributive adjective before a noun or predicatively after a linking verb like 'be' or 'seem'.

© 2026 English Reference