wasteful
/'weistful/
Definition
- Adjective:
- Characterized by or involving the careless or excessive use of resources: Describes actions, processes, or people that use more of something (like money, time, materials, or energy) than is necessary or reasonable, often without a useful result.
- Causing or resulting in waste: Leading to the unnecessary loss, destruction, or diminishment of value.
Usage
The adjective "wasteful" is used to describe nouns directly. It often implies criticism or highlights inefficiency. - It can describe a person: a wasteful manager. - It can describe an action or habit: wasteful spending. - It can describe a process or system: a wasteful method. - It is commonly used with prepositions like "of" (wasteful of resources) and "in" (wasteful in their habits).
Examples
- Describing a person or entity:
- The company was criticized for being wasteful with its budget.
- He is wasteful and never finishes the food he buys.
- Describing an action or thing:
- Leaving all the lights on is a wasteful practice.
- The wasteful duplication of effort between the two departments cost the firm dearly.
- Used with prepositions:
- This design is wasteful of space.
- They are wasteful in their use of water.
Advanced Usage
- "wasteful of": This construction specifies the resource being wasted.
- The old machinery is terribly wasteful of energy.
- In formal or literary contexts, "wasteful" can describe something that causes ruin or devastation, though this usage is less common today.
- The wasteful war destroyed the countryside.
Variants and Related Words
- Wastefully (adverb): In a wasteful manner.
- The funds were wastefully spent on unnecessary luxuries.
- Wastefulness (noun): The quality or fact of being wasteful.
- The wastefulness of the packaging is alarming.
Synonyms
- Extravagant: Spending much more than is necessary or wise.
- Profligate: Recklessly extravagant or wasteful (often with a stronger moral condemnation).
- Prodigal: Wastefully extravagant (often used in the phrase "prodigal son").
- Inefficient: Not achieving maximum productivity; wasting resources.
- Uneconomical: Not economical; wasteful of money or other resources.
Antonyms
- Frugal: Sparing or economical with regard to money or food.
- Thrifty: Using money and other resources carefully and not wastefully.
- Economical: Giving good value or service in relation to the amount of money, time, or effort spent.
- Efficient: Achieving maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense.
Related Phrases and Concepts
- Waste not, want not: (Proverb) If you do not waste anything, you will always have enough.
- Conspicuous consumption: The act of buying expensive things to show off wealth, often seen as a form of wasteful behavior.
Adjective
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laying waste
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when wasteful war shall statues overturn- Shakespeare
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tending to squander and waste
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inefficient in use of time and effort and materials
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a clumsy and wasteful process
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wasteful duplication of effort
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uneconomical ebb and flow of power
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