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waste

waste

23 7.5
A large empty area of land with little or no life
  • noun
  • /weɪst/
: yermo
  • From the surrounding stretches of waste, volcanic cones rose like dismal islands.
  • a waste-land
  • desert wastes
  • uncultivated waste

So one's view from the outside might think of it as waste.

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Examples

  • And out of a dream in that frozen waste, a city grew.

  • The three departed immediately after, flying northwest across Leume Gulf and the stony wastes of Kis-lovan.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • This island is a barren waste.

  • A few red plants sprouted in this frigid waste, but they were stunted things.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason; He makes them wander in a trackless waste.

  • The explorers trekked for miles through the desolate waste, searching for signs of life.

  • Many animals struggle to survive in the harsh conditions of the frozen waste.

  • Amidst the vast waste, a single tree stood as a testament to resilience.

Synonyms

wasteland
vswaste
44 4.9

A large empty area of land with no plants or people

emphasizes wild or desolate character rather than only unsuitability for use
barren
vswaste
8 7.4

An area of land where little grows and people do not live

means a large desolate area rather than a small unused patch

Antonyms

32 4.6

A place that people can live in, like a house or planet

31 3.2

Land or soil that grows many crops

Idioms

A situation that needs action right away

10 8.8

An action that causes great damage to places and people

Use things carefully so you do not run out later

So good that it should not be thrown away

Compounds

229 2.7

An activity that takes time but does not help you

An amount of money spent without getting a useful result

38 3.5

Poisonous materials people throw away that can harm health or nature

15 2.7

Uneaten or leftover food that people throw away from homes and shops

radioactive waste
  • Specialized
14 5.0

Unwanted material from nuclear power that gives off radiation

An action that uses effort but achieves nothing useful

A thing made and thrown away by a factory, machine, or body

An activity that uses your time but does not help you

7 3.5

Dirty substances that people get rid of from their bodies, like urine and feces

A place where people leave dangerous chemicals, often illegally

Things like old or broken items that are thrown away

5 1.3

A container with an open top for small trash like paper

An action that uses time and energy but gives no useful result

2 1.1

Paper that people throw away after use

waste of skin
  • Offensive
2 9.9

A person seen as having no value or use

2 4.2

A way to stop making trash by reusing, recycling and using fewer things

toxic waste site
  • Specialized
2 4.4

A place where dangerous chemical waste is stored or dumped

body waste
  • NSFW
1 2.7

Things the body gets rid of, like urine, sweat, and feces

1 6.5

Radioactive material from medical tests and hospital procedures that has low radiation and needs safe handling

1 7.8

Highly radioactive material left after nuclear fuel is used that needs safe storage for a long time

A thing like time or money that is completely useless and gives no benefit

Using or throwing away materials so usable parts are lost

1 1.9

Things people throw away because they are not useful

A small open container for throwing away paper and other small rubbish

1 4.7

Poisonous waste from factories that can harm people and nature

1 3.0

A pipe that carries away dirty water from a sink or bath

1 4.8

An area of land where people put rubbish

toxic waste area
  • Specialized
1 4.6

A place where people dump poisonous materials that must be cleaned because they can harm people or nature

9.9

A property loses value when a tenant fails to take care of it

9.9

A rude phrase for something completely pointless and not worth your time

waste baler
  • Specialized
5.6

A machine that presses waste like cardboard or plastic into tight bundles for easier handling

7.2

A large shallow pond that treats sewage using sunlight and bacteria and algae

How Empty

desert
726 1.3
waste
23 7.5
wilderness
169 3.8
field
777 1.0
park
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

waste singular
wastes plural

Etymology

Waste comes from an old English word wāst meaning 'desert' or 'barren land', so a 'waste' can mean a large empty area, just like the word wasteland shows the same idea.