# wasting

/ˈweɪstɪŋ/ (US) · /wˈeɪstɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wasting
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. using poorly

verb · CEFR B1

using more of something than you need, or using it in a way that is not helpful.

For teachers: the act of expending resources—such as time, money, or materials—carelessly, extravagantly, or to no purpose.

- Stop wasting your time on video games and finish your homework.
- The auditor identified several departments that were wasting significant portions of their annual budget on redundant software subscriptions.

### 2. physical decline

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the process of a person's body becoming very thin and weak, usually because of a serious illness.

For teachers: the gradual loss of muscle or body mass, typically as a result of malnutrition, disease, or lack of use.

- The doctor was concerned about the muscle wasting in the patient's legs.
- Advanced stages of the syndrome are often characterized by severe muscle wasting and a general decline in metabolic function.

### 3. causing weakness

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical · Formal

describing a disease that makes the body become weak and thin over time.

For teachers: causing a progressive loss of physical strength or substance; often used to modify 'disease'.

- He suffered from a wasting disease that left him unable to walk.
- The researchers are studying the genetic markers associated with various wasting conditions found in elderly populations.

## Examples

- The doctor noticed signs of muscle wasting in the patient's legs.
- Severe wasting is a common symptom in the advanced stages of certain autoimmune disorders and long-term infections.
- The clinical study focused on reversing the effects of cachexia, a syndrome characterized by systemic inflammation and the rapid wasting of skeletal muscle tissue in cancer patients.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.