Money and banking / B1

WAYST/weɪst/

Waste as a verb means use too much, or use something badly: waste time / money / energy; a wasted opportunity. Spend is neutral; save is the opposite. As a noun, waste is rubbish or unused material: household waste, a waste of time. Wasteful is the adjective. Waste away is become thin through illness. Do not confuse waste with waist (the body).

Meaning

To use too much of something, or to use it badly.

Examples

• “Don’t waste time on that game.”
• “Hurry — we are wasting daylight.”
• “Throwing good food away is a terrible waste.”

Good to know

waste time / money. a waste of + noun. Opposite idea: save. Spelling trap: waist. Adjective: wasteful.

Near in meaning

squander

Topics

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